A Chance Taken
by nsukmka
Summary: This is a "Deadliest Catch" story following in the footsteps of Little Leaf of the Redwoods, with her blessing. The story begins immediately at the end of "Knots," when Sig leaves for the boat. ***Warning...contains family/parental discipline***
1. The Seed of An Idea

Author's Note: Just wanted to say "thanks" to Little Leaf of the Redwoods for giving her blessing to this story, and especially for being my beta!  
This story is an "interlude" taking place in the time frame between "Knots" and "Knotted Together".

Chapter 1-"The Seed of An Idea"

Norman stood in the kitchen listening to the Mustang rumble down the street, its purr barely disturbing the quiet of the early dawn. Blinking back the stubborn moisture in his eyes, he ambled to the sink and filled the tea kettle. His gaze fell on the coffee pot, still half full and steaming...the reminder of Sig and his coffee habit was bittersweet. He could hear the faint sounds of Edgar sobbing upstairs in his room. _Poor kid. Sounds like he just lost his best friend. Come to think of it…he kinda has. We're definitely gonna miss you, big brother. Guess it's time for the OTHER big brother to show his stuff. _He left the tea kettle on the stove without turning on the burner. .._who knows how long I'll be up there_. _Don't want to start a fire. _Taking the stairs two at a time, Norman set out to put his "big brother" skills to work.

Knocking softly on Edgar's closed bedroom door, the elder brother didn't wait to be invited inside. He opened the door and hesitantly approached the bed where his young brother lay. Edgar was hidden under the blankets, the mattress vibrating with his sobs. Norman sat down on the edge of the queen-sized bed and gently touched the soft, cropped hair…the only part of his little brother that was visible.

"C'mon, kid. You'll make yourself sick. He'll be okay. Remember how he promised? A Hansen always keeps his promises, Edgar. Especially Sig. You know that." Edgar quieted for a moment, mulling over his brother's words. _Yeah, he did always keep his promises. Even when the promise was a paddling for smoking…and it was really hard for him to do it….he kept his promise. _

"I—I—I know. I'm j-jj-just gonna miss him soooo much! And, an-and...what if something happens to him? He could get hurt, or drown, or..." the littlest brother broke back into sobs, pulling the covers off his face and burrowing into Norman's massive chest. He sighed as he held tightly to his little brother, offering the solid comfort that the kid needed. The two sat that way for a long time, Edgar's sobs gradually quieting while his brother spoke softly, stroking his back. "He'll be back, kid. You wouldn't want him to miss out on his dream, would you? Sig's wanted this for a long time. We need to be happy for him, you know?" Edgar raised his head from his brother's chest, his hair standing on end. He swiped his hand under his reddened nose, sniffling.

"I know. I AM ha-happy for him." _I just wish I was going with him. I still think my idea about doing my schoolwork on the boat with him would've worked. Then we wouldn't have to be apart. I could learn to find the crab, finish school, and still get to be with Sig. _Even though his dad was home now, Edgar was realizing just how much he'd come to depend on his oldest brother for guidance…and security. Even though dad was there, he wanted Sig. His thoughts went back to the conversation he'd overheard on Friday when he'd gone to work with Norman at the hardware store_._

***FLASHBACK***

Edgar was really enjoying his "work days" at the hardware store. Norman had showed him all of the tools, explaining carefully how they were used. Edgar's analytical brain ate up this information, absorbing it like a sponge. He was helping his brother take inventory when a couple of fisherman entered the store…he was acquainted with both of them, being as how they were the "competition", so to speak.

"Hey Norman," drawled the younger of the two. "How's it goin'?"

"Can't complain, Earl. What are you doing here? Ain't you going out for the crab this season?" Norman set his clipboard on the top step of the stepladder. No sense in trying to count and have a conversation at the same time.

"Naah, boat's in the dry dock. Don't have enough cash for the repairs. I might try to hire out with someone…a few haven't shipped out yet. Your brother gone?"

"Nope, he'll be heading out Monday. Neil Lammond is helping him get the boat to Alaska, then he's doing First Mate school. Man, he's finally livin' the dream." Norman smiled, thinking of how much fun Sig would be having. "How 'bout you, Sir? Your boat's not out of commission, too, is it?"

John Hillstrand Sr., a burly guy about the same age as Sverre, set some boxes of screws and a couple of drill bits down on the counter. The father of Johnathan and Andy Hillstrand, he was a gruff old captain who'd definitely earned his share of respect among the fishing community for his prowess on the high seas. It was expected that his two sons would follow in his footsteps.

"I'll be leaving Tuesday at dawn. Won't be able to have the boat ready before then. I was talking to Sig the other day down at the docks. He's gonna hang back and take it easy starting out, and I should be able to catch up with him Tuesday night. We'll stick close to each other till we get to Alaska." Norman nodded. John's boat, the _Time Bandit_, was a little bigger than the _Northwestern_ but not quite as fast. As long as Sig wasn't going full speed, John would have no problem catching up with him.

"Andy and Jonathan going out with you this time?"

"Damn straight. Now that John's out of school...they ain't got no choice. I need all the help I can get."

"Awww," Norman drawled, "they love it. Crabbin' is in their blood, just like yours. They wouldn't want to be anywhere else." The older man smiled slightly, thinking fondly of his boys. Without warning, his countenance changed to a frown.

"As long as I can keep them out of trouble. Hair-brained crazy, those boys of mine. That John...he's given me almost every gray hair you see here on this head. "All the men laughed heartily, knowing it was true. The Hillstrand boys were well known for their antics.

Edgar stood quietly behind the counter beside his brother, his mind wandering. He hit upon an idea so crazy, it almost took his breath away for a minute. _Maybe I won't have to let Sig go. I know he said my idea about going with him would never work, but if I somehow got myself out there in the middle of the ocean, he'd at least have to take me to Alaska. Then I'd have days to convince him to let me stay. _The inevitable stiff consequences that would follow such a stunt flitted across his mind. _No, don't go there. It would be worth it…I think. _Edgar knew the _Time Bandit_. It had been designed by John Sr., and was state of the art, with queen-sized beds in the staterooms and even a sauna. He and his dad had been given a tour of the boat last summer, and the layout was still fresh in his memory. _I can think of a couple places where I could hide. It could work... _

***END FLASHBACK***

Edgar remained sniffling in his brother's arms. The sky was steadily lightening. Shafts of sunlight slanted on the brown carpet, dust motes floating on the cool air from the open window. Daisy could be heard barking in the back yard. _Maybe a cat or something, _mused Norman. Edgar heaved a big sigh and snuggled closer. Norman's arms tightened, and he rested his chin on top of the soft hair. "You ok now, kid?" he asked softly.

"Y-yeah." He pulled himself out of Norman's embrace. "I'm ok." The older brother watched as Edgar walked unsteadily to the bathroom, grabbing some toilet paper to wipe his face and blow his nose. _Poor kid. _He was visited with an idea.

"Hey, you want to go miniature golfing today? It's our last day before school's back. They have that new arcade and golf place over by the docks. Whatdya say?"

_Over by the docks? Awesome, then I can check out where the Time Bandit is docked. Don't think about that. Just be grateful he's trying so hard to make you feel better. _

"Sure, Norm. Sounds like fun." Edgar offered his movie star grin, but it faded as he saw a look cross Norman's face. Heart dropping to his feet, he ventured, "….what's that look for?"

"Shit, forgot I'm grounded. Well, it's the last day…maybe Dad will let me off." Right on cue, both boys heard the low hum of the Mustang's powerful engine. "There he is, no time like the present!" Norman helped Edgar remake his bed, and caught the boy in a hug as they walked out into the hallway. "Love ya, kid."

"Me, too."

...to be continued...


	2. Resolve

The morning was spent doing chores around the house. Norman helped his father change the oil in both the truck and the Mustang, while Edgar pulled weeds and mowed the lawn. The weather was beautiful and warm, the sun blinking in and out of fluffy white clouds. Considering how often it rained in Seattle, this day was a gift to the two teenagers who were headed back to school tomorrow. By noon, the three of them had finished the necessary chores, and were lounging on the porch with glasses of lemonade. The last weeks had been a bit awkward as the boys were getting to know their father again, as well as getting used to having him around all the time. By now, though, there was a comfortable "family" feeling as they all lounged in the shade, only marred by the glaring absence of the oldest brother.

"Hey Dad?" Edgar looked up at Sverre.

"Hmmm?"

"You think Sig's really ready to be captain?" Sverre glanced at Edgar, his features softening as he saw the boy blinking back tears. "Sure, son. I'm sure he'll do fine. First Mate school isn't easy, but your brother knows everything there is to know about how to skipper a boat. He learned from the best, right?" The Old Man chuckled proudly. He held out his hand to his youngest.

"C'mere, boy." Edgar scooted down the porch to join his father, who pulled him to his side in an awkward hug. "Sig will be just fine, _ikkje bekymre deg._" Standing in his dad's stiff embrace, Edgar missed Sig…and his hugs…. more than ever. _But I might be seeing him real soon, if I can just get my nerve up._

* * *

Lunch was turkey sandwiches and chips, prepared without complaint by Norman. He prided himself on his turkey sandwiches…rye bread, lettuce, tomato, cheese…the works. Edgar smacked his lips.

"Geez, Norm, these are great! How do you do it?" Sverre also nodded to his second eldest, acknowledging his culinary skills. The sandwiches were truly delicious.

"Aww, kid, can't give up my secrets, you know," joked his brother. "Just mind your P's and Q's, and maybe someday I'll let you in on it." Edgar rose from the table to get a glass of water. He met Norman's gaze behind their father's head.

"_Ask him about miniature golfing" _he mouthed. Norman winked at the youngest brother with a quick nod.

"Say, Pappa…" he began. Sverre regarded his son with an even gaze, a smile playing about his lips. Norman rarely called him Pappa. This should be interesting.

"Yes, Norman?"

"I was wondering….since school's back tomorrow and this is our last day to do something fun…can I be off grounding a few hours early and take Edgar miniature golfing? There's a new place down by the docks, supposed to be really cool." The older Hansen had seen the new miniature golf course and arcade just that morning while driving Sigurd to the boat. It was called "Castle Park" and looked to be quite impressive…castle turrets and waterfalls and lots of lush greenery. _What the heck—let them have a little fun before the grind of school starts again._

"I think that could be arranged. You've learned your lesson and can be trusted to keep yourself out of trouble, _rett?"_

Norman blushed with the reminder of his punishment from last month, and the memory of the bare swats his father had given him. _I never told Edgar about that…maybe I should. He should know that he no longer holds the record for the only Hansen who's ever been spanked on the bare. Wait…Edgar probably doesn't know that Sig told me about that part. Nope, better keep quiet._

"Yeah, Dad, I'm good. Not likely to forget your reminder." He spoke respectfully. "Would it be okay if I invited Amanda and her little sister to come with us?" He raised his eyebrows to Edgar as he said this, as if to ask, _"That ok with you?" _Edgar gave a quick smile and nod. Sally was alright to hang around with…he just didn't like her LIKE THAT. It sounded fun, though.

"Ok, son. You have my official permission. Do you need some money?" He pulled out his wallet and extracted a few bills. Norman's hours at the hardware store would be decreasing dramatically with the return of school, and with this in mind he accepted the offer.

"Thanks, Pop. I'll go call Amanda."

* * *

Edgar lay lounging on his bed, listening to music. Plans had been made to pick up the girls at 5:30. They would stop at Rosco's for burgers and shakes on the way. Edgar was excited to see this new "Castle Park". He hadn't been to town in a while, and couldn't even remember seeing it while they were building it. Thoughts of the upcoming excursion faded into the background of his mind, as he pondered again his wild idea to join Sig on the boat. _I'd have to get there before sunrise. Cap Hillstrand said he was leaving at dawn…how in the world can I get to the docks early enough to make it onto the boat before it leaves? Maybe I could tell Dad I want to ride my bike to school, and make up some bullshit story about how I want to get there early—it being the first day and all. Might work. _He'd been occasionally allowed to ride his bike to school last year. At least he and Norman didn't go to the same school; next year when he moved up to the high school, Norm would be gone. Trying not to think about this, Edgar continued to mull over the problem at hand. _...At hand..._he mused, holding up his right hand and gazing at the heavy gold ring with the bright blue stone. The fact that this ring was on his finger right now was proof that he had regained Sig's trust. He felt a swell of emotion rising in his chest. Sig wanted him to stay here and go to school...and he wanted..._WANTED..._ to make his big brother proud. Sighing heavily, he shut his eyes against the tears trying to fall. Sig would be disappointed in him...and deep down, he knew that he wouldn't be able to talk his brother OR his father into letting him stay on the boat indefinitely. In spite of this fact, fueled by the strong emotions generated by Sig's departure, he made up his mind: _I'M GOING._

_I'll need as much of a head start as I can get. If Dad and Norm figure out where I am too soon, they'll just radio the Time Bandit and he'll turn around and bring me back. I don't want to think about that happening. Dad'll make good on his promise, and my ass will be grass. If I can just make it till about 4 or 5, we'll be far enough out that it won't matter. Captain Hillstrand will just have to take me to Sig. _Growing up in the fishing community, Edgar knew how much a delay could cost a captain in terms of livelihood. He knew that if they were far enough out...they wouldn't turn around. Another thought hit him.

_Sig will be really pissed. I know that Dad's back and in charge of discipline again, but Dad won't be there. Out on the boat…Sig just might decide to punish me before we even get to Alaska…and then I'll have to face Dad later. _He shuddered at the thought, but then stiffened his spine. He could take it. It would be worth it…..right?

Norman knocked on the door frame, poking his head around the corner.

"Better get ready, Kid. It's 5:15. Don't want to keep a woman waiting…trust me on this."

"Ok…I'm coming. Say, Norm?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think Dad would let me ride my bike to school tomorrow, since it's the first day and all? I want to meet Matt early, and then we want to hang out at his house after school." _Poor Matt. He always gets the short end of the stick when I lie about where I'm gonna be. But it's the only way._

"I guess so." Norman looked puzzled. "You're not EXCITED about school starting…are you? Very un-Hansen like of you, Edgar." His blue eyes gleamed with teasing. "It's in your genes to hate school, Kid. Maybe Sig was right. Maybe you really ARE adopted!" He dodged the pillow Edgar flung at him and took off down the hall, laughing.

...to be continued...

***Translation: _ikkje bekymre deg= _don't worry

_ rett_= right


	3. Here Goes Nothing

Burgers and fries at Rosco's were always a big treat. Using the money his father had given him, Norman paid for the food with a flourish.

"Here you go, ladies." He set the tray loaded with burgers, fries, and chocolate shakes on the worn wooden table. "Bon appétit. Made 'em myself. Freshest ingredients. Feel free to tip." Amanda winked at her sister, who giggled.

Rosco's was located across the street from the harbor. Edgar gazed out the window at the bobbing boat masts, trying to locate the _Time Bandit. _He thought he could just spot the _Jolly Roger _flag billowing in the breeze, about 6 slips down.

"Norm, is that the _Time Bandit_ down there?" His voice was deliberately casual. _Just making conversation. Don't want to say anything that'll make Norman get suspicious. _Norm peered out the window, squinting.

"Yep. Hope they get the repairs done in time. That's cool how Captain Hillstrand is gonna stick close to Sig. It'll probably take them close to 2 weeks to get to Dutch Harbor. John and Andy are going on this trip, too. At least they can keep Sig company on the radio." Edgar just smiled, filing away the location of the boatin his mind. _Sig's gonna have more company than he thinks. _Pushing thoughts of his daring plan aside, he concentrated on making conversation with Sally. It was the start of a great evening.

Edgar's alarm clock started beeping at 4:30 a.m. Already awake, he quickly silenced it. He'd successfully gained permission from his father to ride his bike to school, and to leave early to "meet Matt". Quietly padding around his room, he stuffed some clothes and toiletries into his school backpack. He'd have to leave by 5:00 in order to have time to make it on to the _Time Bandit _undetected. For a moment, the enormity of what he was about to do overwhelmed him. _This is crazy. I'm gonna be in SOOO much trouble. What am I gonna do if I get seasick? How do you throw up "quietly"? I'd better take some Dramamine with me. Maybe it'll help. _His whirling thoughts landed on another, much scarier reality: _This definitely will fall into Dad's category of putting myself in danger. _His backside tingled as he recalled his father's words…

"_I won't hesitate to put you over my knee, bare your bottom and use to flat of my hand to create a fire back there only God himself can put out."_

Shuddering, Edgar tiptoed down the hall to the bathroom and rummaged through the various pill bottles in the medicine cabinet. His eye fell on a prescription bottle labeled _Sigurd Hansen _and he picked it up, glancing at the label. This was Sig's antibiotics from when he'd had his wisdom teeth taken out. There were two white pills in the bottom of the container. _It says, "take until gone". He didn't even finish them. I hope his teeth are okay. _Shrugging, Edgar quietly replaced the bottle on the glass shelf and grabbed the Dramamine. Stuffing the small bottle in his pocket, he felt it clink against the ring on his finger. _Shit, I almost forgot! I can't take this. What if something happened to it? I'm supposed to be keeping it safe for Sig. _Trying to hurry but still be quiet, he slipped the ring off and closed his fist around it. Tiptoeing back to his room, he opened his nightstand drawer and the ring joined the clutter of papers, pens, and empty chapstick tubes. Shifting his song-writing notebook over to hide his brother's treasure, he quietly slid the drawer shut.

Edgar slowly descended the stairs...purposely avoiding the ones that squeaked. From the loud snoring sounds coming from behind both closed bedroom doors upstairs, he figured he needn't have bothered. _How can they snore like that? It's a wonder they don't wake THEMSELVES up. _

The kitchen was dark, the only sound the quiet hum of the refrigerator. He opened the pantry door, intent on getting some snacks for his trip. Flipping on the light, the first thing he saw was the strap, hanging on its hook. Just looking at it brought butterflies to his stomach. _Dad said he wouldn't use that on me again. I guess that's a small comfort, but it doesn't mean he won't spank me once he gets me home. How bad could it be, though? _Remembering the couple of times Sig had spanked him bare, he shook his head. _Are you kidding? It'll suck! _ _At least I'll have a couple of weeks before Dad gets a hold of me._

Once again, Edgar weighed the probable consequences against the act...and decided it would be worth it. He grabbed some trail mix and bottled water, stuffing it into the backpack on top of his clothes. The kitchen clock read 4:55 a.m. as he eased out the door to the garage.

Upstairs, Norman rolled over and woke to the sound of the garage door going up. He tensed as he listened, glancing at the digital clock on his nightstand. _5 am. What the fuck? Who the heck is that?_

Getting out of bed and going to the window, he could just make out the figure of his little brother pushing the motor bike out onto the driveway. Edgar was dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt, carrying his helmet and his school backpack slung over his shoulder. _He wasn't kidding about going early. It's weird how the kid is so gung-ho about school starting this time. Not like him at all..._

Shrugging it off, Norman snuggled back under the covers and checked to be sure his alarm was set. It was another hour before he needed to be up for school himself. The sound of the motor bike faded away down the street, and he closed his eyes.

Edgar slowed his bike as he approached the harbor. It was still dark, but the eastern sky had a gray tinge. _The sun will be up soon. I need to haul ass. _He'd thought long and hard about where he'd leave his bike. Cutting the engine, he coasted down the ramp into the underground parking garage. It was pretty dark down here...and he hoped no one would notice the motor bike parked in the corner. He threaded a piece of heavy chain securely around the body of the bike, securing it to one of the many metal poles supporting the structure. After clicking the padlock in place, Edgar stood and leaned against the pole, debating his next move. His hand stole into the pocket of his sweatshirt, encountering the envelope he'd secreted there before he left the house. He didn't need to take it out to remember what the note inside said...he knew the words by heart.

_Dear Dad and Norm,_

_I know you'll be mad at me but don't worry. I'm going on the Northwestern with Sig. He'll keep me safe and I won't have to miss him so much. Please try two understand._

_Edgar_

Popping the seat up to reveal the storage area beneath, he folded the envelope and shoved it into the small space. _Hopefully they'll find the bike after I've had enough of a head start. I really don't want them to worry...I just know Dad would never, ever let me do something like this if I asked first._

The teenager crept quietly up the ramp and made his way to the slip where the _Time Bandit _was gently bobbing with the movement of the water. Hearing voices in the distance, he swiftly looked up to see the Hillstrand's blue Chevy truck parked in the far lot. Johnathan and Andy were ribbing each other and laughing as they unloaded supplies while their father looked on, smoking a cigarette. _Shit! I'd better get on board, NOW!_

Quick as lightning, Edgar flew down the ramp and carefully navigated his way across the deck, through the galley and into the storage area. Heart hammering in his chest, he opened storage cabinet doors until he discovered a large storage closet full of extra rain gear. Parting the hanging waterproofs, he could see that there was just enough room to slide in behind them. _This will be a good place. They won't need this stuff until they're fishing. _ The voices grew closer as he settled into the small space, making himself as comfortable as possible.

_Here goes nothing._


	4. A Phone Call Away

A/N: Had to re-post to fix an error :)

Getting back to school wasn't as bad as Norman had thought it would be. Being a senior definitely had its perks. Having always been a good student, he wasn't worried about the work. Even with taking Advanced English and Trigonometry, he was sure he'd be able to keep up with it. The perks came with the awesome feeling of being the "big man on campus". He could see the awed look in the eyes of the new freshmen as they watched the seniors. Sitting in his last class, Norman was startled out of his daydream by the ringing of the bell. He gathered his book and binder and followed the crowd out into the hall.

"Later, Norman." This came from Steve, an acquaintance who was also a senior this year.

"Later, dude."

Stopping off at his locker to leave his book, Norman found himself wondering how Edgar's first day back had gone. It had felt weird this morning to be going to school alone...without dropping off his little bro on the way. He was looking forward to seeing Edgar and hearing about his day. _Crap, I forgot. He's going to Matt's house. Well, I guess we'll just talk later._

Norman looked up to see another "perk" running toward him, her short brown hair flying...his beautiful girlfriend. He opened his arms and she jumped into them, landing a kiss on his cheek. The school rules were pretty clear about "physical contact" between students, so he just squeezed her gently in a hug and caught her hand as they began walking toward the parking lot.

"How was your day, My Beautiful? Isn't it awesome to finally be in our last year in this place?" It seemed like a dumb question—he already knew the answer. Amanda's eyes lit up.

"It sure is. I like my classes and I especially like not having to get here until second period." Another perk of being a senior was the option of "late arrival", which was open to those students who had enough credits toward graduation. Norman would have liked to be able to show up late as well, but he knew it was important to his college plans to keep a full class load this year.

"You have to work today, right?" he asked, glad that he himself had the day off.

"Yeah, unfortunately. I have a feeling that it's going to be packed...everyone going out for ice cream after school." They approached Norman's truck and he glanced around, jingling his keys.

"Where'd you park? Across the street or something?" Amanda rolled her eyes as she replied.

"The one problem with late arrival is there aren't any parking spaces. I'm way down at the end of the lot." Norman smiled lazily, his muscular arms coming around her. No longer worried about the school rules, he lowered his head and touched his lips to hers. The kiss went on and on, until she finally pulled away, laughing.

"I have to go, you nut. You don't have to act like you're so deprived...remember last night?" Norman's eyes closed in memory.

"Mmmmm...I'm not likely to forget _that_ any time soon. Hop in, I'll give you a ride to your car, since you have it so hard and all...coming to school late and not having any parking." She playfully punched his arm, and climbed into the truck.

* * *

Sverre hummed to himself as he nudged the screen door open with his hip, cradling the pizza boxes in his arms. It seemed appropriate to have something special for dinner, to celebrate the beginning of school. He knew that his youngest in particular was not too keen about the return to the books and hoped that the offering of pizza would help a little. _Although, he DID seem to be kind of excited about going this morning. Even went early on his bike. _

The kitchen was quiet and neat; the sink was empty of dishes and the floor swept. Late afternoon sun streamed in and the red-checked curtains danced in the breeze from the open window. The weather had been beautiful today...clear and warm with not a cloud to be seen. Sverre breathed a prayer of thanks, grateful for calm weather as his eldest was steaming away toward Dutch Harbor. It had been harder than he'd thought it would be, letting Sig go alone. All along, the plan had been for Sverre himself to train the boy as captain. He was unprepared for the anxious feelings that plagued him, knowing first-hand the dangers of crab fishing in the Bering Sea...and him not being there to protect his eldest.

Shaking off his worry, the Old Man set the pizzas on the kitchen table and sniffed appreciatively. He paused and listened for sounds in the quiet house that would indicate where his other two sons were at that moment. Clinking sounds could be heard from the basement, and Sverre correctly deduced that this would be Norman, working out as usual. The pizzas were getting cold.

"Norman! Dinner!" A few minutes later, the basement door opened. Norman entered the kitchen, wiping his flushed face and neck with a small towel. He, too, sniffed appreciatively.

"Mmmm...smells great, Dad. What's the occasion?" Sverre grunted, seemingly embarrassed to be making a big deal about school starting. _Their mother always made a special dinner...this is the best I can do._

"You know, Son, celebrating the start of the school year..." his voice trailed off. Norman's eyes softened as he, too, remembered how Mom had always made a big deal about the first day of school.

"Thanks, Pappa. This is awesome." Norman looked around the kitchen. "Where's the kid?"

Sverre glanced sharply at his middle son, then up at the clock on the kitchen wall as he responded.

"What do you mean? It's after 6 o'clock. He's not here?" Norman glanced around the kitchen for signs that Edgar was home. _Nope, no backpack. No jacket. That kid better not still be at Matt's. Dad told him to be home by 5:30. _

"I'll look in his room. He probably came in and I didn't hear him." _But...I didn't hear the bike, either. _He bounded up the stairs, two at a time. Edgar's bedroom door stood open, his bed neatly made. Norman glanced into the empty bathroom, his heart sinking. _Geez, kid. Way to go, disobey Dad this soon after Sig leaves. You'll be lucky if he doesn't ground you. _Descending the stairs much slower this time, he made his way back to the kitchen. He purposely avoided his dad's gaze and went straight to the phone on the wall.

"He must still be at Matt's. I'll call over there." He reached for the phone, only to be startled by its shrill ringing. Glancing at his father with eyebrows raised, Norman picked up the receiver.

"Hello?"

* * *

The sun was making its way down, a brilliant ball of orange light against the backdrop of the ocean horizon. A light wind stirred the leaves of the trees as the police car slowly came to a stop near the docks. Only a few people were to be seen...an elderly woman walking her dog and a couple who strolled down the wooden boardwalk with their hands intertwined. Officer Rowe and his young, blond female partner exited the car, walking toward the underground parking garage.

"The call was about a suspicious off-road motorcycle left down here, right?" questioned Patricia as they pulled out their flashlights and walked slowly down the ramp into the structure. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she could make out a uniformed security guard standing by the exit barrier. Hearing her question, he piped up.

"Yes, Ma'am. It's been here since early this morning. We don't allow overnight parking, so my boss said to call you." His eyes roamed appreciatively over the young officer's body, and he gave her a wink. Officer Rowe cleared his throat, causing the young man's eyes to raise to his own stern blue ones.

"Yes, thank you for the call." His voice was steely. "If you could show us to the bike, please." Suitably cowed by the older man's look, the young guard answered quietly.

"Yes, sir, officer...right over here." He led the way to a dark corner of the garage. Sweeping the beam of her flashlight over the small space, Patricia felt her heart sink as she recognized the green motor bike securely chained to the metal post.

"Mike, we know this bike." She watched as her partner eyed the machine, his brow crinkled. Suddenly, his expression cleared.

"That Hansen kid. Edgar, right? The one who got beat up at the Shack?" She nodded, not letting on just how familiar she now was with the Hansen family. Still a little hurt by the loss of her relationship with Sig, Patricia had unfortunately been unable to keep herself from thinking about him.

"I wonder why his bike would be here, of all places." Her voice was concerned. "It's getting kind of late... I hope he's alright. I guess we'd better call the house. I think I still have the number." She pulled out her small flip pad, pretending to look through the pages while really knowing exactly which one the number was written on. She looked up at the security guard.

"Is there a phone I can use?" His voice now respectful, he directed her to the small guard shack which housed a small desk and telephone. Picking up the phone, Patricia carefully dialed the number that she already knew by heart, glancing over at Mike as the ringing began.

**A/N: Just want to give some "thanks" to some deserving people: To Little Leaf, for her ideas and suggestions, and willingness to beta-read for me in spite of a very busy life...you make me a better writer! And to my husband of 20 years, for his input about boats and fishing...and for coming up with the titles for each chapter. Thanks to all of you for reading...I'd love to see more reviews and hear your thoughts.**


	5. Trouble At Sea

Chapter 5:

The _Time Bandit _slowly made its way out of the harbor. Edgar's heart pounded every time he heard voices nearby, but he'd been very astute to choose his present hiding place. So far, no one had happened upon him. Since the closet was close to the galley, he could make out the voices of Johnathan and Andy as they cooked breakfast. Hearing Sig's name, he sat up and listened hard.

"_Dude, how long do you think it'll take to catch up with Sig? We've never gone out even close to the same time as the Northwestern before. It'll be so cool to have someone to talk to on the radio at night."_

"_Yeah, that's if Dad'll let us in the wheelhouse. I think it'll be around 5 or 6 tonight before we're close."_

Clattering pans drowned out the rest of the conversation. Edgar squinted at his watch. _It's only 6 am. Geez, I'm gonna be stuck in this closet forever! Whatever you do, don't puke!_

Trying to ignore his unsettled stomach, he quietly opened his backpack and took out a bottle of water. He pulled the small bottle of pills from his pocket, despairing as he tried to read the small print of the dosage directions. _Shit, didn't think to bring a flashlight with you, did you, Sherlock? I'd better only take one. Don't want to O.D. on Dramamine. _Swallowing the tiny pill, he tried to get more comfortable in the confined space of the closet. After about 30 minutes of queasiness, the motion of the boat became almost soothing as the medicine kicked in. All the stress and emotion of the past few days...saying goodbye to Sig, setting up his grand deception, feeling guilty about pulling Matt into his lies; not to mention worrying about the consequences that would follow...seemed to fade away. Edgar's anxieties eased, and he fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

While Edgar was snoozing away aboard the _Time Bandit, _Sig was struggling with his own self doubt as the _Northwestern _steamed towards the Alaskan port. He, like Sverre, was finding it difficult to be heading off to Alaska without his dad... even though his father was hardly the coddling sort of parent. _I've probably got it a lot better this trip __without __Dad around to get on my case, but I still kinda wish he was here. Am I really ready to captain a crab boat in the Bering Sea? Jesus, it's a lot of responsibility. What if I blow it? _He stood leaning against the deck railing at the back of the boat, staring out at the white wake as the _Northwestern _cut through the water. When you didn't have crab pots and quotas to worry about yet, being on the ocean gave you lots of time to think.

He was surprised at how much he missed his brothers; especially Edgar. Sig's relationship with his youngest brother had both changed and deepened so much over the past summer, and he found himself wondering how the kid was doing. School had started today for both Norman and Edgar, and it felt a little strange not to be heading back to school himself. _Another "first time" without Mom...the first day of school for the new year. _Sig smiled wistfully as he recalled his mother's excitement as the day had drawn near, planning and buying school clothes and supplies. Mom had always fixed a special dinner that first night, making their favorite foods and encouraging them to talk about how their day had gone. Looking back, Sig realized how much this tradition had helped him ease back into the grind of school...and he felt regret that this time—his brothers wouldn't have that. _Maybe Dad will step up and do something...miracles DO still happen. _Shaking off his melancholia, Sig's gaze was drawn to the distant horizon and he frowned. _Looks like maybe a storm front coming in behind us. I should have known the good weather wasn't going to last. _Ignoring the slight anxiety he felt at the possibility of facing a storm this early into the trip, he made his way up to the wheelhouse.

* * *

Edgar woke with a start, heart pounding as his dreams faded. Disoriented, he squinted in the dim light of the small enclosed space. _Where the hell am I? _The grind of the boat engine reached his ears, bringing with it the return of memory. The _Time Bandit. _He was a stowaway. He was going to Sig. Sighing, he shifted his cramped position. Even though it was an awesome hiding place, this closet really sucked. Voices could be heard in the galley, and the smell of food cooking assailed his nostrils. Suddenly he was ravenous. _What time is it? How long has it been since I ate anything? _Squinting at the luminous face of his watch, he saw that it was about 12:45 p.m. His mouth was watering. _Smells like steak and onions. _A wild idea came to him. _Maybe I can sneak out there and grab something to eat. _Edgar pressed his ear to the back wall of the closet, straining to hear the conversation in the galley.

"_Good meal, Son. I'm heading back up to the wheelhouse. Your brother will be down in a few minutes."_

"_Ok, Pop. Nature's calling...I'm gonna hit the head." _

Edgar scrambled to his feet, pushing aside the hanging rain gear. He cautiously opened the closet door and peered around it, down the hallway. The coast was clear. Light-footed, he crept down the hall and through the doorway of the galley. Glancing around the cluttered kitchen area, Edgar quickly grabbed a paper plate off the counter. The sizzling frying pan was indeed filled with strips of steak smothered with onions. Hurriedly, he scooped a big helping of the meat onto the plate, adding some corn from the bowl on the small sideboard. He looked around to make sure no one was coming, and tiptoed into the pantry. Ignoring the pricking of his conscience, he grabbed a can of soda and a couple of packs of cookies. _No one will know. _His heart jumped in his chest at the sound of footsteps. Holding tightly to the contraband, he flew through the galley and back to the closet, closing the door only seconds before Johnathan Hillstrand came around the corner, ready for lunch.

"_Christ, Andy! You barely left me any, you piece of shit!" _The outraged sound carried clearly to the young stowaway, guiltily hunched over the plate of stolen steak and onions.

"_What do you mean? There's enough. How hungry ARE you, anyway?" _The voice broke off. _"What the hell? You already ate half of it, you moron."_

"_No, I didn't. I just got here. Shit, I'm starving."_

"_Dude, I swear there was half the frying pan left. What the hell is going on? _

"_You and dad were probably just hungrier than you thought. It's okay...I'll have some toast with it or something. But I get first plate at dinner, deal?"_

"_Deal." _The voices faded away, leaving Edgar in silence. Having forgotten to grab any silverware, he ate with his fingers, practically inhaling the food.

* * *

_Back on the mainland..._

Holding the phone up to his ear, Norman heard a decidedly feminine voice.

"Hello, this is Officer Markley. May I speak to Mr. Sig Hansen, please." Norman's heart began to pound erratically. This was too reminiscent of a previous phone call. _Oh, please, God...don't let something have happened to Edgar. _His voice was sharper than usual in his anxiety.

"Sig's not here. This is Norman, Patricia. What's wrong? Is everything alright?"

"Yes, Norman, but I need to speak to an adult. Is anyone there with you?" Norman rolled his eyes in exasperation. _Geez, I'm almost 18. Give me a break._

"Yeah, my dad is here. You—you don't have Edgar there with you, do you?" By this time, Sverre was right next to him, taking the phone from his hand.

"This is Mr. Hansen. Who am I speaking to?" Norman was left with only being able to hear his dad's side of the conversation, which told him next to nothing. He was forced to wait anxiously, foot tapping the kitchen linoleum, until his dad hung up the phone.

"What's going on, Dad?"

"The police have found what could possibly be your brother's motor bike in a parking garage near the harbor. They need us to come down there." He grabbed the truck keys from the rack. "We'll take the truck...if it's his bike we'll need to be able to get it home."

Norman hesitated. "But...what about Edgar? Do they have him in custody or something?"

"They haven't seen your brother." Sverre grabbed the phone and thrust it at Norman.

"Call Matt's house," he ordered.

Of course, neither Matt nor Mrs. Mavar had seen Edgar all day, and Matt confirmed that Edgar had not come to school that morning. Norman relayed this information to his father, trying not to panic. They hurried out to the truck.

* * *

Back aboard the _Time Bandit, _Edgar was starting to regret the fact that he had eaten. The Dramamine had long since worn off, and the nausea was ten times worse with food in his stomach. The up and down motion of the boat seemed stronger, and he began to worry that he might throw up. _Breathe, dammit. Just breathe. _He managed to fight down the feeling for about 45 minutes, until the boat lurched violently and Edgar lost the battle. Clutching his stomach, he heaved and vomited on the floor, trying with all his might to do it quietly. After losing everything that could have possibly been in his stomach, Edgar wiped his mouth on his sleeve and dabbed at his streaming eyes. Feeling almost like he didn't even care anymore, he listened for footsteps and waited to be discovered. _Shit, it's only about 3 o'clock. They might take me back if they find me now. _Close to tears, Edgar was overwhelmed with a deep need to see Sig and be held in his strong arms. All this time, he had been assuring himself that at the end of the day, he would be with his brother. Now that he seemed to have blown his hiding place, the reality that he might instead be facing his father tonight overwhelmed him. Time stretched on, as he fought to slow his breathing. Miraculously, no one came to wrench open the closet door. It seemed that luck was with him...he _had _managed to throw up "quietly", and his hiding place remained intact. By now, though, the stale air of the closet was permeated with the smell of vomit. Edgar mopped the floor using one of his t-shirts from the backpack, trying not to gag. After doing the best he could, he forced himself to take another pill and prayed that he would sleep again.


	6. Finally Caught

Silence reigned in the truck as father and son drove toward the harbor. Norman didn't dare to reach for the radio, so there was nothing to distract him from the anxious thoughts swirling around his mind. _Where in the heck is Edgar? Did he run away from home? If he did, why isn't he riding his bike? Nothing's happened recently between him and dad...they've been getting along okay. The only "traumatic" thing that's happened lately is Sig leaving... _

Before he could follow this line of thought, Norman's musing was interrupted by the unexpected sound of his father's voice.

"Did Edgar say anything to you? Anything that might tell us where he is?"

Norman had been wracking his brain ever since the phone call in the kitchen, trying to recall something that Edgar might have said or did that would give them a clue about what was going on.

"I've been trying to remember something, but he seemed _fine_, Dad. We had a good time last night with the girls, and he seemed excited about the first day of school. He woke me up this morning when he left...I heard the garage door."

Sverre glanced sharply at Norman from the corner of his eye as something occurred to him. He forced his eyes back to the road as he spoke. "I was up before six this morning, Son. How early did he leave?" At the time, Norman had figured that Edgar was just excited about school starting- but when he really started to think about it...something wasn't right.

"He left at 5. Geez, Dad, school doesn't start till 7:30. Why the heck would he leave so early? I guess I didn't really think about it until now."

Sverre's face was grim; he had already come to his own conclusion: _That boy was planning something all along. A pretty elaborate plan...asking me if he could go early to school and take his bike...lying about going to his friend's house. He's going to have a lot to answer for when I get a hold of him. _

Although he didn't say so, Sverre was just as worried as Norman. It was almost six o'clock in the evening... his youngest had been missing for over 12 hours.

Further conversation was cut off as the truck turned a corner and approached the parked squad car, the two officers waiting beside it.

* * *

_Back aboard the Time Bandit..._

Edgar tossed and shifted in the stuffy closet, unable to get comfortable. The Dramamine wasn't working, and the smell was getting worse and worse. He longed for some fresh air...to feel the sea wind on his face. His rolling stomach threatened to erupt again, and he closed his eyes as he fought the feeling. _I can't do this. I can't breathe in here. _Desperate, he struggled to his feet. _I have to get out of here. I don't give a shit anymore...they can do what they want with me. _He frantically pushed aside the hanging rain gear, not even listening for voices before bursting out the door and into the storage area. Thankfully, no one was around. It was much easier to breathe out here, and he crouched behind a crate of equipment. _I'll wait here for a few minutes. I just need to breathe. _

Encouraged by the fact that he hadn't been instantly discovered, Edgar decided to venture further. He tiptoed past the galley and peered out onto the deck. The sun was still shining, but it was cold. He hadn't been imagining it...the water was much rougher now than it had been that morning. The _Time Bandit _rose and fell in the ocean swells, and the wind was high. Out of nowhere, another wave of nausea flooded him. Edgar lost all sense of self-preservation...he could only concentrate on the urgent need to throw up. Running across the deck, he heaved and vomited violently, leaning dangerously over the railing as his stomach emptied itself again.

* * *

_Back home..._

Norman could only glimpse the setting sun between the dark clouds as his dad pulled the truck to a stop behind the police car. The little trees along the boardwalk swayed and danced in the strong breeze. He sighed. _Great, more rain for the great state of Washington. _

Exiting the truck, Norman and Sverre approached the officers. Norman greeted Patricia politely, calling her "Ma'm" and not letting on to the fact that they were friends. Sverre questioned the officers as they walked toward the underground lot; it seemed odd to him that they had known that the bike was most likely Edgar's. His brows rose and he glanced at Norman as he listened, realizing that these particular officers had been involved with the trouble Edgar had gotten into over the summer.

The flashlights illuminated the green motor bike, and both Norman and his father caught their breath. Norman had been hoping against hope that the police were mistaken about bike belonging to his brother. His anxiety jumped up another notch. Officer Rowe addressed Sverre.

"Do you recognize this bike, sir?"

"Yes, officer. It belongs to my youngest son, Edgar," was the quiet reply.

"Do you know where your son is right now?"

It was humiliating to admit to the police, but the worried father didn't hesitate.

"No, I just found out a little while ago that Edgar didn't go to school today. He lied to me and told me that he was meeting a friend early before school and also going to that friend's house after school. We have talked to this friend and he claims he hasn't seen my son all day."

Patricia spoke up. "Do you have any idea why Edgar's bike would be _here _in particular?" Her voice softened. "Teenagers tend to want to 'take off' when they don't want to deal with something. Have there been any issues or arguments between you? Anything traumatic that might have precipitated him running away?"

Norman remained quiet as the police questioned his father. He was worried about his brother, but also irritated that Edgar was pulling something like this. _That kid just doesn't know when to quit. There's gonna be hell to pay once we find him. At least Sig isn't here. Then there'd be 3 people worrying instead of just 2. _Suddenly, it hit him. _Sig's gone. The kid was pretty broken up about it. Holy shit..._ Sig leaving had been pretty damn "traumatic".

He didn't say anything, but his mind was going a mile a minute. By now, Officer Rowe had used a bolt cutter to break the chain that was anchoring the motorcycle to the metal pole. Sverre steadied the bike with his hands. He quietly thanked the officers, agreeing to call if he didn't find Edgar within the next few hours. Patricia handed him her card, and promised to keep in touch.

Norman helped his dad secure the bike in the truck bed. For some reason, he was hesitant to voice his suspicions. As he tightened the chain around the body of the bike, Norman inadvertently pushed the lever of the storage compartment. The seat popped up, and something white caught his eye. Squinting in the fading evening light, he pulled out an envelope.

"Ummm, Dad?"

* * *

_Aboard the Time Bandit..._

Captain John Hillstrand grabbed the back of Edgar's shirt as he heaved and vomited over the side of the boat, coming dangerously close to falling into the cold water below.

"EDGAR? Jesus, boy, what are you doing out here?" He pounded the kid's back as he sputtered and coughed. John waited until Edgar caught his breath, and then shook him once, hard. "Answer me. Why are you stowin' away on my boat? Shit, you almost just fell overboard!" The fear of what could have happened crowded into his mind, and he couldn't stop himself from landing a powerful swat to the boy's backside. Edgar jumped at the sting. _Damn, he can really pack a wallop with that hand of his. _He blinked back a few tears.

"I-I'm trying to get to Sig," he whimpered, rubbing his stinging bottom. John listened incredulously.

"…Trying to get to _SIG?_ We won't even be close to catching up with Sig for another hour. Damn, Son, we're too far out to take you back…." A thought occurred to him. "…but then, you knew that, didn't you?" The kid nodded, shivering in the brisk sea wind. _ I hope the Captain doesn't decide to add any more swats to that one he gave me. It still hurts! He must have gotten a lot of practice with his boys._

The big man sighed. "And your father? I take it he doesn't even know where you are." The man's pulse quickened as he envisioned one of his boys disappearing like this when they were Edgar's age. "Shit, we probably won't even be able to contact him for a few days. Got a storm blowing up behind us, and it plays havoc with the communications." He jerked his head at his sons, who were staring in disbelief. "Take him in the galley where it's warmer. I'll try to raise Sig on the radio."

Moving slowly, Johnathan approached the boy and took him by the arm. Remembering _the Shack_ and everything that Sig had been through with his youngest brother this summer, he felt anger flare that the kid would do something this stupid. His voice was hard.

"Let's go, kid. Get your ass inside." Edgar was freezing, and did not resist as he was escorted to the galley. Johnathan pushed him into a chair, draping a blanket around his shoulders.

"What the hell were you thinking? Christ, what a crazy, shit-for-brains thing to do! What about your father? And Norman? And SIG! After all he did for you this summer, you're gonna pull this?" Johnathan fumed.

Edgar blinked back tears at the words, "I—I ..."

Johnathan cut him off. "You know what? I don't want to hear it yet. There's a storm coming, and we're gonna have to haul ass to try to get to the Northwestern before it hits. Stay here...Andy, let's get on deck." They hurried out of the galley, shrugging into jackets. Edgar was left alone with only his thoughts.

_I've done it now. Everyone's mad at me. _He shifted on the hard chair. _My butt still hurts, too. _Only one good thing was going to come from being discovered by the Hillstrands:

_I'm finally gonna be with Sig._


	7. End of The Line

Norman stood holding the crumpled envelope as his dad approached. _Oh my god, what did that kid do?_

Sverre grabbed the envelope from his hand, hurriedly tearing it open. By now, it was almost fully dark and the wind was blowing harder. He fought to keep a hold on the flapping piece of paper. Knowing that it was too dark to read it without a light, and that he didn't have his glasses, the Old Man handed the note to Norman.

"You got a flashlight or something in your truck?" he asked gruffly. "I don't have my glasses, so you'll need to read it." Norman scurried around to the passenger side of the truck. He pulled his Mag Lite out of the glove box and slid into the passenger seat to keep out of the wind. Sverre got in behind the wheel, slamming the door. It was much quieter inside the warm interior of the truck. Norman took a deep breath, and clicked on the flashlight. He read aloud,

"_Dear Dad and Norm,_

_I know you'll be mad at me but don't worry. I'm going on the Northwestern with Sig. He'll keep me safe and I won't have to miss him so much. Please try two understand._

_Edgar"_

Norman's voice fell silent and he cringed, waiting for the explosion. It wasn't long in coming.

"Christ Almighty! That boy doesn't have a lick of sense! He thinks he's going _with SIG? _ How the hell is he going to do that? Sig's been gone over 24 hours! There's no way he's with Sig." Sverre fell silent as he thought about his last statement. _He might not be with Sig yet, but he plans to be. He must have somehow gotten onto one of the boats heading out. Thinks he's gonna meet up with his brother. _He was startled out of his musing by the sound of Norman's voice.

"Do-do you think he's okay, Dad? There's a storm coming. Do you think he's hiding around here or something? How in the world does he think he's gonna get to Sig?"

His father sighed heavily. "I think perhaps that your brother in his infinite teenage wisdom has somehow managed to hide out on one of the other boats heading to Alaska, in the hope that he will somehow make it onto the _Northwestern." _

Norman caught his breath as he realized that his father was probably right. _Holy shit, that's a crazy thing to do. I'm gonna kill that kid when I see him. Naww, he'll already by dead after Sig and Dad are finished with him. _

Sverre barked, "Do you know who was setting out this morning? Most everyone is already gone. Do you have any idea which boat he might be on?" His anxiety was mounting, and he knew in the back of his mind that the storm would make communication with any of the boats very difficult. The Old Man had been a captain for a long time. Even though communications were better than they used to be, it was still unlikely that they would get any definitive answers about Edgar's actual whereabouts. He was also very worried about the safety of his youngest, knowing how dangerous a storm at sea could be.

Norman caught his breath again as a memory flashed through his mind. He saw Edgar and himself in the hardware store, talking with Captain Hillstrand and Earl Haskins. John Hillstrand's words came back to him sharply.._. " I was talking to Sig the other day down at the docks. He's gonna hang back and take it easy starting out, and I should be able to catch up with him Tuesday night." _

Another memory assaulted him. _Edgar asked about the Time Bandit when we were at Rosco's. He was scoping out where it was docked. That little shit, he was already planning this crazy stunt. _

"Dad, I think I know where he is. It's the _Time Bandit. _Captain Hillstrand was in the hardware store on Friday. He said he was leaving early this morning, and that he and Sig had talked and were going to stick close to each other on the way to Dutch. Edgar was right there, he heard it all."

Slightly relieved at this revelation, Sverre turned the key and the truck's engine roared to life.

"I've known John Hillstrand for a long time, Norman. If you're right, and I think you are, Edgar won't be able to hide for long. John is fully capable of keeping your brother safe. I wouldn't be surprised, though, if he wallops that boy's ass when he finds him. He doesn't stand for any crap on board the _Time Bandit." _Sverre could feel anger swelling as he thought about the sheer recklessness of Edgar's actions. _He's gonna find out that I meant what I said. He won't be able to sit for a week after I'm through with him._

The tired father sighed, "Let's head to the Coast Guard office. They might be able to reach someone on the radio."

* * *

John Hillstrand stormed into the wheelhouse. Grabbing the radio, he set about trying to reach the _Northwestern. _

"This is _Time Bandit_ niner niner one. You out there, Northwestern? The static sounded loud.

"This is _Time Bandit_ niner niner one. Sig, do you read?" His heart leaped as he heard Sig's voice come faintly through the speaker.

"Northwestern six seven seven. This is Sig Hansen. Go ahead, Captain."

"Got a situation here, Sigurd. You seen the storm coming in behind us?"

"Yes, sir."

"Well, we need to catch up to you quick before it hits. We got ourselves a stowaway." John's attention was caught by movement behind him. He whirled around to see Edgar standing near the door. Quickly becoming bored in the galley, the boy had taken advantage of the fact that all hands were busy on the deck and started to wander. Hidden behind the door, he'd been listening to the Captain's conversation with his brother. John growled and pointed to the co-captain's chair.

"I told you to stay in the galley. Now sit your ass down while you still can."

Edgar obeyed immediately, effectively protecting his rear end from further discomfort. He had no doubt that Captain Hillstrand was fully capable of handing out one hell of a spanking, and knew he'd better not push his luck. The radio crackled, and he could hear the confusion in his brother's voice as he answered. "Come again, Sir? What do you mean, 'a stowaway'?" John pinned Edgar with a stern look, passing him the handset.

"Since you didn't stay in the galley like I told you," he said in a quiet, stern voice. "YOU can tell your brother about this crazy stunt of yours."

Depressing the button, the teen spoke hesitantly. "…Sig?"

Heart slamming in his chest at the familiar voice crackling over the radio, the eldest Hansen spoke incredulously.  
"EDGAR? Wha—what are you doing out here? Are you alright? Jesus, I can't believe it…" his voice trailed off. "Does Dad know where you are? Shit, Edgar, he's gonna have a heart attack." Swallowing hard, the youngest brother haltingly explained how he'd come to be on the _Time Bandit_, finishing with, "I-I wanted to be with you, Sig. I can do school work on the boat. Remember how we talked about it—" Sig's stern voice interrupted him.

"Yep, we talked about it and I told you IT WOULD NEVER WORK. Let me talk to Captain Hillstrand." Blinking back tears at his brother's steely tone, Edgar wordlessly gave the handset to the _Time Bandit's_ burly captain.

"I'm here, son."

"Is he alright?" John glanced at the young teenager who sat with his head bowed and arms wrapped around himself.

"Yeah, he's ok. Almost fell overboard as he was puking his guts out." He met Edgar's gaze again as he spoke his next words. "I tell you what, Sigurd, if he was mine I'd be handing out one hell of a spankin' right about now. He could've been killed." The boy's eyes dropped as he studied the floor of the wheelhouse.

"Is he still right there?" _Sig sounds really mad. _Edgar was filled with trepidation.

"Yep."

"Well, you can let him know…I agree with you and he's gonna find out the hard way what a bad idea this little stunt was." John smiled slightly at Sig's fatherly tone as he watched Edgar's face pale. The boy was worried…and it sounded like he had good reason.

"I think he heard you. What's your position? We need to get to you soon if we're gonna be able to hand him off before the water gets too rough." The two men compared distances and determined that they should rendezvous within 20 minutes. Signing off, John looked at Edgar.

"Sounds like your brother's not happy. I'm sure he's glad you're alright, but damn, Son, what you did was beyond dangerous. Sig's got enough to worry about without you pulling something like this. I think you're screwed, Kid." The elder Hillstrand knew that Sig had needed to stay home this past summer to care for his younger brother. He could tell by Edgar's reaction to Sig's words that this would not be the first time... the boy was clearly expecting punishment from his oldest brother.

The teen sighed heavily. "Yeah…I know I'm screwed." _That was an understatement. _

"He gonna do what I think he's gonna do?"

Edgar shrugged, his face reddening. He'd always known in the back of his mind that this was a possibility. Still, he didn't want to come right out and say the words. His voice lowered as he answered, "It won't be the first time. He…umm…punished me a few times this summer... while my dad was gone." Damn, this was embarrassing to admit to the Captain. But he already knew, anyway.

John sighed. "Well, there's no arguing that you deserve it. It's a good thing he's gonna take care of it, or else you'd find yourself over MY knee. You should probably consider yourself lucky that it's not your father on that boat." _Yeah, I know. But Sig's gonna be bad enough. He sounds so mad! Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all. _Edgar knew that he was much too late in coming to this conclusion...and there was no way to turn back time...not even aboard the _Time Bandit._

A/N: Next chapter almost done. Sorry to keep you hanging!


	8. Finally Together

Chapter 8:

Johnathan had been busy preparing the small motorized dinghy for the rendezvous with the Northwestern, and hadn't realized that Edgar had left the galley. He was startled by the sound of his father's voice on the loud hailer.

"John, put this kid back in the galley and tie him to a chair if you have to!" He looked up to see Edgar standing hesitantly near the tied crab pots on the deck. Finished with the dinghy, Johnathan locked eyes with the boy and jerked his thumb toward the galley.

"Get your ass back in there!" he ordered. Edgar obeyed with his head bowed. John followed him into the galley and watched as the teen collapsed into a chair. He pulled up his own chair, ostensibly to keep an eye on the kid. Edgar could feel the older boy's stare, and he kept his eyes trained on the table top in front of him. The silence lengthened. Suddenly, John thought of something.

"Where in the hell were you hiding?" Edgar did not look up. Even though Johnathan Hillstrand was known for his love of a good time, he sure didn't seem like that now. Right now, he was kind of scary.

Johnathan put both hands flat on the table and leaned forward.

"C'mon, kid. Let's hear it. How in the heck did you manage to hide from us all day?" Although he was irritated, another part of him admired the kid's spunk. Edgar sighed and looked up.

"I hid in the closet with the rain gear. I figured you guys wouldn't need it on the way to Alaska." He thought he'd better come clean about everything. "It kind of needs to be cleaned...I threw up." John's eyes twinkled.

"Well, kid, that sounds like a good job for you while we're waiting to meet up with Sig." He stood up, grabbing some paper towels and disinfectant. Edgar reluctantly led the way to the closet. Pushing aside the rain gear, Johnathan wrinkled his nose.

"Whew! You weren't kidding." He looked closer at the floor. The remnants of steak and onions were much in evidence. _So THIS is what happened to my lunch._ Seeing the realization come over the older teen's face, Edgar cringed.

"You know," John's voice was casual. "Deckhands are expected to pay for any food they eat on the boat. Especially if it's stolen food." His eyes lingered over the soda can and cookie wrappers. "You got any money? My dad ain't gonna let you have this for free." Edgar paled. He had not thought of that.

"Um, I didn't bring any," he stammered.

Johnathan clapped him on the back. "Well, we'll just have to hit old Sig up for the money. It'll be one more thing for him to be pissed about." Edgar didn't answer, but his thoughts were whirling as he knelt down to clean the mess. _Shit, now Sig's gonna know I stole food on top of everything else. I forgot about how the food is deducted from the deck hands' pay._ Ashamed of himself, the boy remained silent as he cleaned, trying not to throw up again. Johnathan watched him with arms folded. When it looked like the kid was done, he motioned him out of the closet.

"Let's go get some fresh air. My dad won't care as long as you're with me. And kid? I was just kidding about the money. It was only one meal...my dad will never know. And Sig will only know if you tell him, okay?" Edgar grinned and nodded in relief. Johnathan clapped him on the back once again.

"Let's get a life jacket on you."

* * *

The sun was setting, surprisingly still able to be seen in spite of the clouds rolling in. Edgar supposed that this was because the storm was behind them. He wore his thick windbreaker but still shivered in the brisk sea breeze as he stood at the rail, scanning the horizon for the Northwestern. He thought he could just make out a white blur. Could that be Sig? Johnathan's big hand landed on his shoulder, startling him.

"There she is. Man, kid...Sig's gonna be pissed. I hope you're prepared for that." The young teen nodded, his gaze fixed on the approaching vessel. _He sure will be. But I don't care. At least I'll finally be with him._

"You stay put until we tell you. You got me?" Edgar nodded again. The white blur gradually turned into the Northwestern, rising and falling in the waves. Tears flooded his eyes and he had to fight down a wave of emotion as he caught sight of Sig on the deck. His brother stood with legs apart and arms folded, the very picture of an angry older brother.

Sig was plagued with his own warring emotions as he beheld his little brother clutching the rail. It was easy to spot him because of the bright orange life jacket. _That kid wanted to be with me so bad he risked his life. I'm sure he didn't think about it that way, though. His teenage brain convinced him that a plan this crazy was justified. I'm sooo glad to see him, and I want to wring his neck at the same time. Geez, Dad is going to be livid. There's no way I can get word to him with the storm coming. Hopefully the kid left behind some clue that will tell Dad and Norman where he is._

His thoughts were cut off as the Time Bandit pulled as close as she safely could and the engine cut down to an idle. Sig watched anxiously as Johnathan lowered the dinghy into the water, using the crane. The lines were tied tight, keeping the small boat as close to the Time Bandit as possible. Johnathan donned a canvas harness, securing it tightly around his body. With the Captain at the controls, the oldest Hillstrand was lowered slowly into the dinghy. Landing safely, he quickly divested himself of the harness and secured it to the line.

"Take it up!" Sig watched as Andy grabbed the blowing canvas straps and set about securing them around Edgar's small body, over the life jacket. _Christ, this is dangerous. C'mon guys, don't let me down._ The teen's green eyes were wide with fear as he glanced across the open water and met his brother's anxious gaze.

"It's okay, Edgar!" Sig cupped his hands around his mouth and raised his voice to be heard over the wind. "Just do what they tell you. They know what they're doing, okay?" Edgar nodded vigorously, allowing Andy to secure the buckles and leaning close to hear the older boy's instructions. The crane motor began to grind and Edgar rose from the deck, holding so tight to the line that his knuckles were white. Johnathan was ready to catch the boy as he was slowly lowered, far enough out over the water to keep clear of the Time Bandit.

Sig breathed a sigh of relief as Edgar landed safely in the dinghy. Andy threw the boy's backpack down, and Johnathan caught it easily. Sig climbed down the Northwestern's ladder until he hung suspended over the water. His eyes were glued to those of his brother as the little boat drew near. Idling the motor, John passed the backpack to his waiting hands. Sig threw it up to Neil and reached for Edgar, who was standing in the dinghy with Johathan's hands holding him steady at the waist.

He scooped the boy up, his arm supporting his bottom. "I gotcha, kid. Hold on tight." Edgar wrapped his arms and legs around his brother, holding on for dear life as Sig carefully negotiated his way back up the ladder. When his feet reached the sure foundation of the deck, the older brother stood holding Edgar, breathing hard with the boy's arms and legs still wrapped tightly around him. Edgar didn't show any signs of letting go as he sobbed in relief, so glad to finally be with his brother. Resting his chin on the boy's cropped brown head, Sig looked down and his eyes met those of his friend.

"Thanks," he spoke loudly over the wind. John grinned and gave him a thumbs up.

"Try not to kill him, okay?" he yelled as he gunned the motor and turned the dinghy back toward the Time Bandit. Sig looked over at the other boat and could just make out the figure of John Hillstrand, Sr. in the wheelhouse. He lifted his hand in a gesture of thanks, and the Captain acknowledged it with a nod.

* * *

Sig's heart broke at the sound of Edgar's crying. _I'll have time to be mad later. I've got to calm him down._

"Shhh, kid. You're ok. I'm here," he soothed, stroking the soft hair. "I'm here, and YOU'RE here, and you're not SUPPOSED to be here, right?" Edgar nodded his head against his brother's chest. Sig gently set the boy on his feet, still talking as he kept his arm around him. "I'm so glad you're safe." He grabbed Edgar's chin in his hand and gently tilted it until their eyes met. "I love you sooo much...and I already missed you like crazy."

The distraught teenager sniffed hard, trying valiantly to stem the tears. "I-I'm s-sorry, Sig. I know I should've stayed home. I tried, but I couldn't. I w-wanted to be with _you_. It's different with Dad home. I mean, I love him and everything, but he's not like you." His face flushed a little with embarrassment as he admitted, "I... missed the hugs." Sig felt tears stinging his own eyes. He could hear the desperation in Edgar's voice, and knew that the kid's emotions had played a big part in his actions. He also recognized the fact that, unconsciously, Edgar was still trying to find the stability that they had all lost with the death of their mother. _I probably should've expected something like this. I got closer to my brothers this summer that I ever thought possible. Edgar must have felt like he'd been abandoned all over again._ Refusing to allow himself to feel guilty about following his dream, Sig just crushed his brother in another embrace, lifting him so that his feet dangled above the deck and rocking him back and forth.

"I missed them, too, kid. Even though...it's only been two days since I last hugged you. I already missed you so much. I was thinking about you earlier, that you were starting back to school today." He set Edgar back on his feet, and met his gaze again.

"But, I guess you didn't make it to school, did you?" The boy had the grace to look ashamed. Sig continued, "I just about had a heart attack when I heard your voice over the radio. Couldn't believe it." Recalling how he had felt, Sig's temper began to rise.

" Jesus, Edgar….I thought we'd already talked about you putting yourself in dangerous situations. In fact, those conversations mostly involved my hand and your backside, if I remember correctly. What about Dad and Norman? They must be worried sick. Did you even THINK about them? Did you even THINK at all? When I let my mind go to what could've happened…I can't fucking think straight!"

Rain began to pelt the deck, cutting off his tirade. It was now almost fully dark. He sucked in a deep breath to calm himself. _Shit, I told myself I wasn't going to yell. Calm down, Sigurd. He only shuts down when you yell._ He consciously softened his voice, and wrapped a brawny arm around Edgar's trembling shoulders. "You're cold, and now you're getting wet. Go on to my cabin and get changed for bed. It's late...we can finish talking tomorrow. I'll come in a little while, and bring you something hot to drink so you can warm up. You hungry?" Edgar shook his head against Sig's broad chest. The rolling motion of the boat was playing havoc with his stomach again.

Sig continued, "Okay then, go on and do what I told you." He gave the small shoulders one more squeeze, and gently pushed the kid away from him.

Wiping his eyes and sniffling, Edgar nodded. He was exhausted, and so relieved to _finally_ be on the Northwestern.

**A/N: Sorry for the delay...and thanks for staying with me. I can see by the traffic stats that many people are following this story. I would love to hear from you in a review! :)**


	9. Safe and Sound

Chapter 9:

Norman and Sverre stepped from the small Coast Guard office into the blustery evening. Rain pelted their faces despite the protection of hooded jackets, and the wind was strong. Sverre's jaw was tight, but he said nothing as they made their way toward the truck. His mind, however, was going a mile a minute. _Just like I thought. Even though they tried for 30 minutes, they couldn't reach anyone. Norman is most likely right about the boy being on Hillstrand's boat. But I want to know for sure._ Reaching the truck, the weary father tossed the keys to his middle son without comment. It was now past 9 p.m., and Sverre was exhausted and feeling every one of his fifty-plus years. Norman's brows rose as he neatly caught the keys, but he didn't comment and climbed into the driver's seat.

Norman was worried, too...but he was willing to respect his father's silence. He clicked on the radio, tuning it to his favorite country station. Keeping the volume low, he drove carefully through the rain. The flickering glow from the streetlights played across his hands as they clutched the wheel, illuminating the gleam of the gold ring on his finger. He smiled as he glanced at it, still awed by the fact that his dad had remembered it...that he loved him that much. Norman had struggled over the years with believing that he really mattered to his dad...to the point of him deliberately antagonizing the man in order to gain his attention. A lot of the time, it had been negative attention. His many trips over the kitchen table attested to that. Driving through the wet Washington night, Norman was feeling more hopeful about his relationship with his father than he had in a long time. It was also kind of nice to not be the one in trouble for a change. _Nope, Edgar's got the corner on that tonight. I can't believe he had the guts to just take off like that. I hope he's safe..._Norman took a deep breath and reached for the volume knob, and the sounds of country twang faded.

"Do you think he's okay, Dad?"

Heaving a deep sigh, Sverre reached over and squeezed his son's shoulder. "I hope so. It's the "not knowing" that makes it so hard. I'd like to believe that your brother has enough common sense to keep himself safe _and alive_...although his antics this past summer don't really inspire my confidence. His propensity for getting seasick is particularly worrying. Then again, that might be the one thing that causes him to be discovered...we just don't know right now. We'll wait for a break in the weather, and keep trying to get some answers. I'm glad you found that note he left, or we wouldn't even have a clue to his whereabouts." Norman nodded, but didn't say any more. This time, his father reached for the radio volume knob. The remainder of the ride home was quiet except for the comforting sounds of a country ballad.

* * *

Back on the Northwestern...

Sig sat in the galley, a much-deserved (in his opinion) cigarette dangling from his fingers. He was waiting for the water to get hot. After rummaging through the cupboard, he had found a wrinkled packet of hot cocoa mix. Neil was in the wheelhouse, and had agreed to stay there until midnight, giving Sig time to settle his brother. Sig's emotions were still wavering between relief and anger. Sitting and waiting, he finally had time to really process the enormous risks his brother had taken in doing what he had done. All the times that Edgar had talked that summer about coming with him on the boat...he had never really thought that the kid might actually DO it. One thing was crystal clear: there had to be consequences...even if he delayed them until tomorrow. Sig didn't even care that his father might be upset at him…he knew that Edgar deserved and even needed to be punished…and not 3 weeks after the fact. It also needed to be a stiff punishment. He had no paddle out here in the middle of the ocean, and he sure wouldn't use his belt. _I need to use something...he's got to know how serious I am. Just my hand isn't gonna cut it...even though some of it will be on the bare...just like the last time._ Sig looked around the galley, contemplating. _Maybe a wooden spoon? Naw, too flimsy._ Suddenly, he thought of something. For as long as Sig could remember, his dad had kept an oval wooden hairbrush in the cabinet of the head. Identical to the one he used at home, the Old Man had always maintained that he preferred a sturdy hairbrush.

_"Can't stand these newfangled brushes you boys use. Practically fall apart in your hand."_ Sig could hear his father's words clearly in his head. He suspected that this particular brush was in fact one that had been passed on for generations, all the way from Norway. _I think that will do it. It won't hurt as much as the paddle, but I'm sure that brush will pack a wicked sting. He's gonna find out the hard way what a bad idea this was...I guess that last spanking wasn't enough of a deterrent to keep him from putting himself in harm's way. I'm gonna have to make sure that this one is. Plus, I don't doubt that dad is going to add his own punishment when the kid gets home. Normally, I might try to talk him out of it, but I don't think it would do any good...this is serious shit._ With a sigh, the oldest brother stubbed out his cigarette in the ash tray on the table. For a few minutes, he allowed himself to feel sorry for his little brother…and himself.

* * *

Edgar sat on Sig's bed, still fighting off the nausea as the boat rose and fell with the ocean swells. His stomach hurt...the knot was back. Edgar had hoped that he would never feel it again. Having changed into soft sleep pants and a dry t-shirt, he still shivered in the cold room. _When is Sig going to come?_ He didn't like being alone. Blinking back tears, he turned and lay down on his stomach, burying his face in his folded arms. _I wish Norm was here. He always talked to me and helped me feel better...when I was in trouble with Sig._ Since no one was there to stop him, a hand stole to his face and started rubbing. He was so lost in his own misery that he didn't even hear his brother's approaching footsteps.

Sig had changed into dry clothes in the head, toweling dry his thick blond hair. Pausing in the doorway, he gazed down at this little brother whom he loved so much. _God, he looks so much like a little boy, lying there. He could've died! The older brother blinked back the stubborn moisture he felt invading his eyes. Keep it together, Sig. You gotta be strong for your lil' bror…there'll be plenty of tears later, for sure._ His deep voice broke the silence.

"Hey."

Edgar threw a glance over his shoulder, and scrambled up into a sitting position. He blinked back more tears as green eyes met blue ones.

"Hey."

"I found you some hot chocolate!" Sig gave his brother a big smile, not commenting on the tears. He just wanted to keep things light tonight. _The heavy stuff is coming tomorrow._

Edgar smiled a crooked grin. "Thanks." He cupped his hands around the hot mug, taking a sip while Sig watched him with an unreadable expression. The telltale red mark on his cheek caught Sig's attention, and the older brother reached out his hand.

"What's this?"

Edgar lowered his eyes, staring into the hot chocolate as if it held all of life's secrets. _What can I say? I rub my face when I get nervous. We're out here in the middle of the ocean, and I'm afraid you must be soooo angry with me. And disappointed. This just...sucks._

Gathering up his courage, Edgar gave his brother direct eye contact and asked the question that was most pressing on his mind.

"You mad?"

Sig gave a great sigh. "Yep, but that should be no surprise to you. You know how I feel about you putting yourself in danger. We'll definitely have a discussion about that, but it's going to have to wait until tomorrow. For tonight, I just want to enjoy having my little brother with me." He watched as Edgar continued sipping his hot chocolate. The boy's face was a little pale.

"Are you still feeling seasick? Maybe you should take some Dramamine before you sleep." Sig made a move toward the small closet where his duffel bag was located, but Edgar stopped him with a wave of his hand.

"I got some here...I brought it from home." He reached for his jacket, pulling the small bottle from the pocket and shaking a pill into his hand. With the last drink of his hot cocoa, Edgar swallowed the medicine easily. Sig climbed into the bed, shunting the boy over with his hip. He lay with his arm along the top of the mattress, and Edgar immediately slid over and put his head on his big brother's chest. Sig wrapped both arms around him and squeezed tightly.

"Jesus, Edgar...I'm so glad you're okay. I could have lost you," he whispered, stroking the soft brown hair. Edgar had waited so long for this moment...to feel the security he had longed for ever since Sig had left. The events of the past twenty-four hours crowded into his mind, and he buried his face in the soft t-shirt. Sig could feel Edgar begin to shake with sobs, and he tightened his arms even more. "It's okay...you're safe. I'm here." Sig continued to talk softly to his brother, reassuring him that all would be well. Gradually the tears abated, and the boy heaved a great, hitched sigh. No one said anything for a few minutes, and Sig figured that Edgar had fallen asleep against him.

A soft whisper surprised him. "Are you gonna punish me?"

Sig hugged Edgar tightly. "I think you already know the answer to that. Tomorrow though, not tonight. This day has been long enough already. Get some sleep. I'm gonna be manning the wheelhouse from midnight to four, but then I'll come to bed." Edgar shifted over to lay on his stomach, clutching the pillow under his cheek. Sig rubbed his back, feeling the boy finally relax into sleep.

* * *

It was still pitch dark outside when Sig made his way to the wheelhouse at midnight. The rain lashed at the windows, and he found himself glad that he didn't have to venture out on the deck. Neil stood and vacated the captain's chair when Sig shouldered through the door and climbed the steps into the wheelhouse.

"Right on time. Your brother okay?"

"Yeah," Sig sighed. "At least for now, he is. He's asleep. Just a heads up...tomorrow I'm gonna be handing out some consequences for what he did. So in case you hear anything..." The significance of this statement registered immediately with the older man.

"Yeah, okay. I get you. Any sounds of smacking and crying...I'll disregard. And for the record, that's exactly what would be happening if your dad were here. This be the first time you're doing it?"

Sig sighed again. "Nope, afraid not." He paused for a minute, and then went on "...let's just say we had a rough summer while my dad was gone fishing."

Neil's eyes crinkled as he broke into a wide grin. "Better you than me, Sig. I'm glad my kids are grown and I don't have to hand out lickin's anymore. Now, I just get to enjoy the grandchildren. I'm gonna hit the rack...see you tomorrow."

Sig was left alone in the dark wheelhouse. It took all of his concentration to keep the Northwestern on course, while allowing for the strong pull of the wind. He had driven the boat with his dad a few times during a storm, and it helped to draw on that experience. He popped the Eagles, Greatest Hits cassette into the player, letting the sounds of Don Henley and Glenn Frey accompany him as he steered the boat through the storm.


	10. Facing The Music (Part 1)

The storm had blown itself out by morning. Edgar woke slowly, blinking as he stared around the stateroom. _Where am I?_ Light snoring next to him brought his head around. Memory flooded back as he focused on the figure of his oldest brother, slumbering next to him. _Oh yeah, how could I forget? I made it to the Northwestern. I'm finally with Sig. Although, I think that by the time he's through with me today, I'll wish I was at Seattle Middle School...even Mr. Hall's class. _He found himself hoping that Sig would sleep for a while...anything to delay his "facing the music". This hope was dashed as he glanced again at his eldest brother and found blue eyes staring at him.

"Morning," Sig's voice was gravelly with sleep.

Edgar smiled faintly at his brother, not quite able to hide his anxiety. _Whatever happens today...I trust him. I know he loves me._

"Morning," was his quiet answer.

Sig rolled over with a groan. "The boat's not rolling like she was...maybe the storm passed. What time is it?" Edgar looked at his watch, which in his sleepy state the night before he had forgotten to take off.

"8:30."

Sig rubbed his eyes with both palms, clearing the sleep from the corners. He turned on his side, facing his brother.

"How's your stomach?"

Edgar had to think about this for a minute. "Umm, it feels okay. I guess if I keep taking the Dramamine, it won't be so bad. It makes me sleepy, though."

Sig's eyes narrowed a little. "Orrr..." he drew out the word. "You could've stayed on dry land and avoided feeling this way altogether."

He watched as Edgar flinched, the simple statement speaking volumes about the impending direction of the conversation. Normally the oldest brother would have waited until after breakfast for this discussion, but he was due back in the wheelhouse at 10. _I'm doing it MY way, but there's no time to fool around. _Sig pushed himself up into a sitting position, leaning against the corner of the wall. Respectfully, Edgar also rose and sat cross-legged, facing his brother. He wondered if Sig could hear his thumping heart. _Here it comes. I told myself all along that there were gonna be consequences for what I did. I guess it's good that we're getting it over with first thing this morning. _He trusted Sig completely, but that didn't mean he wasn't nervous about what was coming. Almost of its own accord, his right hand stole to his cheek and started rubbing.

Sig's eyes softened at his little brother's anxious gesture. _I can understand why you're nervous, Lil Bror. We're gonna get through this. _He reached out and captured the boy's hand in his own.

"None of that," his voice was gentle. "Your face is already red from all the rubbing you did last night. I know you're nervous, but I don't want you to hurt yourself." Hearing the love in his brother's voice, Edgar blinked back tears that already seemed to be trying to fall. _I don't deserve for him to be gentle with me. _

"Y-yes, sir," he answered, sniffling.

Sig's eyes widened for a minute with the "sir", but then he tightened his jaw and nodded to himself. Dad wasn't here, and the "brother" relationship between Edgar and himself had moved back to that of the "ward/mentor".

Sig gently released the small hand, and asked the question most pressing on his mind at that moment. "You're not scared of me, are you?" Sig's voice cracked a little. The thought about killed him. He did notice, however, that the idea of disciplining his little brother was not as difficult to deal with as it had once been. Doling out those spankings over the summer…and seeing the positive results… had helped him to see that sometimes it was necessary. He'd done it before, and it was almost familiar.

"Naw, Sig, I'm not scared of you. I-I think I'm just scared of what you're gonna…do." Sig steeled himself for the upcoming ordeal.

"Yeah, you got some heavy consequences coming...that's for sure. First though, we're just gonna talk." Sig shifted his back against the hard wood of the wall, grabbing a pillow to lean against. The boy's eyes were on his hands, clenched in his lap. The older brother reached out and lifted the smooth, hairless chin.

"You need to look at me." Edgar obeyed immediately. Sig sighed and ran his finger down his brother's cheek.

"How did you manage to get on board the _Time Bandit_?" Edgar began to haltingly explain about overhearing Captain Hillstrand in the hardware store, and the lies he had told his dad about going early to school, and taking his bike to "meet" Matt.

Sig interrupted him. "Where did you leave your bike? That bike is pretty expensive, Edgar. I hope you didn't leave it where someone could steal it."

The boy quickly shook his head, his green eyes wide open and earnest. "No, Sig, I locked it up tight, I promise. Down in the underground parking garage by the harbor." His voice lowered. "I...even left a note for Dad and Norm in the compartment under the seat. If they found it, they'll kind of know where I am...and hopefully won't be too worried. I didn't want to freak them out, but I knew that neither one of them would ever let me do what I wanted to do." Edgar fell silent then, seeing Sig's jaw tighten in anger.

"You're damn right they wouldn't have let you. I'm glad you left a note, but I'm sure they're still worried sick. You remember how you said a little while ago that you're kinda scared... about what I'm gonna do?" The teen nodded, looking down at his lap again.

"Eye contact."

Edgar dragged his eyes up, meeting his brother's stern blue-eyed gaze.

"I think that a little fear is exactly what you should be feeling right now. It will help you to understand a little bit of how I feel when I think about what could've happened to you. I might have lost you, Edgar. And if I have to light a fire under your backside to get the point across about putting yourself in dangerous situations, then I'll do it. I think I proved that this summer, right?" The teen nodded.

"_Lil Bror, _I love you. And part of loving someone is caring enough to let them know when they've messed up, and doing whatever they need to do to keep that person safe. So let's talk about what's gonna happen. You put yourself in a lot of danger with this stunt. I'm flattered that you want to be with me, but this was the _wrong way _to go about it. Dad and Norm are probably going crazy worrying about you." Guilt hit Edgar like a ton of bricks, and Sig could see that his words were hitting home. The boy scrambled across the bed and pressed close, seeking comfort. Sig put his strong arm snugly around his little brother. "We _all _love you, and losing you is not something any of us ever want to think about. I wish you'd stayed put at home, because then we wouldn't be having this conversation right now." Edgar squirmed slightly. Sensing the motion, Sig loosened his hold.

"Are you okay?"

Edgar looked down again, and his cheeks held a pink tinge. "Sig, I'm not trying to get out of anything...but I have to pee really bad." Sig stared at him for a minute, and his lips began to twitch in spite of the seriousness of the conversation. Seeing his brother fighting a smile, Edgar giggled softly.

"Hit the head, kid," Sig ordered. "I know you're not trying to get out of anything...I would never think that. We've got time...it's a long way to Alaska." Edgar jumped from the bed and ran into the small bathroom. Sig laughed softly. _That kid cracks me up. _

* * *

Sig took the time that Edgar was in the bathroom to change into jeans and a t-shirt. He sat on the vinyl seat that ran along the edge of his bunk, his long legs stretched out in front of him. _I am so NOT looking forward to this. It's been a long time since I've had to punish him, and I would've been fine to NEVER have to do it again. He expects it, though...and I've never let him off easy when he's done something dangerous. _His tumultuous thoughts then echoed those of his little brother last night: _This sucks._

The bathroom door opened and Edgar peeked out. Seeing his brother sitting and waiting, he immediately came forward...ready to face his consequences. Sig forestalled him by standing up.

"I think I'll hit the head, too. Be out in a minute."

"Okay," was the soft reply.

* * *

Sig was quick in the bathroom...he didn't want to make the poor kid wait any longer than necessary. Flushing the toilet, he steeled himself and opened the bathroom cabinet. The wooden hairbrush was immediately visible on the third shelf. Reluctantly, he picked it up and hefted it in his hand. _It's pretty sturdy...should make my point crystal clear. _ Looking closer, he noticed a few long, blond strands of hair caught in the bristles. Realization dawned as he fingered them, his eyes filling with tears. _This is HER hair. _This tangible reminder of his mother made him ache all the more for her, but he knew it was no accident. _Okay, Mom...I get it. Your baby's in trouble again, and I've got to do right by him. It's just so hard...I hate making him cry. You always told me NOT to make him cry...but this is different. I love him, and I gotta keep him safe. He needs the "punctuation mark" to our discussion...so he'll remember that risking his life is NEVER gonna be okay. _

Resolved, the oldest brother glanced in the small mirror above the sink and wiped the telltale tears from his cheeks. Tucking the hairbrush into his back jeans pocket, he took a deep breath and opened the bathroom door. Edgar was sitting on the vinyl seat with his arms wrapped around his knees, waiting. The boy looked up at the sound of the door opening, and scooted to the edge of the seat placing his feet on the floor. Sig walked over and stood before his brother, who was looking at the floor again. He again raised the small chin gently with his hand.

"You ready?" A small sigh and reluctant nod were his answer. Sig sat down next to the boy, twisting his body so that he faced him and feeling the hard outline of the hairbrush in his back pocket.

"I've always told you what's gonna happen before it happens, right? No surprises." Edgar had been wondering if Sig was going to explain as he usually did, and he breathed a sigh of relief. _It's easier if I know what's gonna happen...even if I know I'm not gonna like it._

"Yes, sir," he answered respectfully.

Sig sighed again. _So many sighs...I need to just get it over with. _"Okay, first of all. Before you ask...I'm not using my belt." Edgar had been wondering about this. He knew that Sig did not have the paddle here, and he definitely hoped that his brother wasn't going to spank him completely bare. His eyes lifted to Sig's, waiting to hear more.

"I'm gonna spank you with my hand, over your boxers, just like before. I don't have a paddle...but you know that putting yourself in danger warrants something more than just my hand. So..." Sig reached around to his back pocket and pulled out the hairbrush. "Some of it's gonna be with this...over the boxers and a few on the bare as well." Edgar's eyes widened at the familiar object in his brother's hand.

"I remember that brush. Dad's always had it on the boat." He fell silent as he realized how much the wooden implement would sting, especially without the protection of his boxers. Sig had never swatted him bare with anything besides his hand before. _I already know how much his hand hurts. _He could feel panic rising inside of him. His heart beat even faster and tears began to slide down his cheeks. He pulled his knees to his chest and buried his head in his arms. Sig remained silent, letting his words sink in and allowing his brother time to get used to the idea. He slid closer to the boy and put his arm around the thin shoulders, willing to offer comfort but not relenting on his decision. _I'm not gonna change my mind, so I hope he doesn't ask. That'll about kill me. He doesn't need to know yet that it'll only be a couple swats at the end...to make a point. _

Edgar's tears came harder as he felt the strong arm come around him, and he immediately turned his face into Sig's shirt. The need to look "tough" in front of his "even tougher" oldest brother was not as strong as it used to be. _I'm tired of acting tough. Norman said to just leave the "toughness" at the door. _With this thought in mind, he lifted his head and raised teary green eyes to his brother.

"Please, Sig...can't you just use your hand on the bare? It already stings so bad...do you have to use the brush? I promise I'll never put myself in danger again!" Sig hardened his heart yet again.

"Yes, Edgar, I'm afraid I _do _have to. You're gonna learn that I am VERY serious about keeping you safe. I need to make SURE that you think twice before ever doing something like this again... and I can tell by your response that it's already making a big impression." Sig glanced at the clock next to the bed and knew that there was no way he was going to finish this ordeal before 10. He gave Edgar's shoulders a squeeze before easing away from him and standing.

"You just sit tight. I'm gonna go talk to Neil for a minute. I'm supposed to be in the wheelhouse at 10..." he paused, "...but this is more important." _I don't want to spank you and then go rushing off. I know you need me to be there after, for comfort...oh, who am I kidding? I need it just as much as you do. _He left for the wheelhouse, his footsteps sure.


	11. Facing The Music (Part 2)

Chapter 11:

Taking a deep breath, Edgar stood and wandered around the compact stateroom. Not that there was much space…even though this was the captain's quarters. His memories of this room went a long way back; his dad had been taking the boys on the boat (most of the time when it was docked) practically since they were born. _Still looks the same, though. Same wooden paneled walls and blue carpet…but then decorating was never Dad's thing. I bet if Mom had been the one to decide the décor, it sure would look different. _ Edgar waited for the rush of grief that usually engulfed him when he thought about his mother. This time, however, he felt only a sweet sadness. Blinking back tears that had nothing to do with the coming discipline, the young teen sat back down on the bench seat. A surreal feeling enveloped him…almost like he could feel his mother's hand stroking his cheek. _Momma, I'm in trouble again. I didn't want to let Sig go...so I followed him, and stowed away, and almost fell overboard before I caught up to him. He's pretty mad cuz what I did was really dangerous. I wish you were here…even though I know you wouldn't save me from what's coming. You never did …cuz I guess you knew I deserved it. Like this time. It's okay, though, Momma. Sig loves me, and I know he won't give me more than I can handle. _

Calm washed over him, and he resolved to take the spanking that was coming without any more begging and pleading. _Can't believe I did that. It's hard enough for him to do this without me making it worse for him. _Even though he was only wearing thin sleep pants over his boxers, Edgar decided to take them off before Sig came back, to show that he accepted and was ready for the coming punishment. He stuffed them into his backpack and sat back down to wait.

* * *

The sky was still covered with grey clouds as Sig slowly made his way back to his quarters. The gale-force winds had died down, and he hoped that Edgar's stomach would fare better now that the water was calmer. Having arranged to cover part of Neil's wheel watch in the afternoon, he now had the time he needed to accomplish the upcoming dreaded task. Taking yet another deep breath, he opened the stateroom door.

Edgar looked up and met his brother's blue-eyed gaze steadily. Sig's eyes traveled over his little brother's lean form, noticing that the boy was now clad in just his boxers and the faded black AC/DC t-shirt that he had slept in.

Smiling slightly, he asked, "That's the shirt I got when Norman and I went to the concert, right?"_ That was a crazy night. I'm surprised Mom let us go…we were only 14 and 13. _

"Yeah, I like to wear it to sleep in." _It helps me feel close to you. I like to wear your old stuff._

Sig walked over and sat down. Taking his cue, Edgar stood hesitantly. Sig gently took the boy's arm and maneuvered him to stand between his spread knees. Noting that the green eyes were again trained on the floor, the oldest brother sighed to himself.

"Edgar, look at me, please." Blinking back tears, the boy obeyed.

Taking both the small hands in his own, Sig squeezed slightly. "You know why you're being punished, right?"

"Yes, sir."

"Tell me."

Edgar took a deep breath. "I snuck on board a boat that I had no business being on. I lied to Dad and Norman, and now they don't know where I am. I—I almost fell overboard cuz I was puking my guts out. I put myself in a lot of danger and I…" He paused for a moment, wanting to come clean about everything. "I took some food when I was on the _Time Bandit._"

This was news to Sig. His eyes narrowed. "What did you take?"

The teen looked away for a moment, not wanting to look his brother in the eye. "Ummm, just some steak and onions that Andy cooked for lunch. And some cookies…and a soda."

Bringing his eyes back up without being told, Edgar bravely met Sig's hard look. The boy's cheeks were tinged pink with embarrassment. "I'm sorry, Sir. I'll pay Captain Hillstrand for what I took."

"Yes," Sig said sternly. "You will. We'll have to talk to him, and you can tell him what you did." Edgar cringed, hearing the disappointment in his brother's deep voice as he continued, "...you know better than to do something like that."

"I know," was the tearful reply. "I was just so hungry. And then...I threw it up anyway." Sig hid a smirk. _Serves him right, I guess. _He squeezed Edgar's hands lightly again, lifting them and studying the palms.

"Your hands look as good as new."

Smiling slightly, Edgar looked down at his fully healed hands with a nod.

The reminder of his brother's dangerous activities this past summer brought Sig sharply back to the present. _He's STILL making these poor decisions that put him in harm's way. Time to prove to him again that I'm always gonna be strong when it comes to handing out the consequences of those decisions._

"Well, little brother...I think we'd better get this over with."

Satisfied that Edgar understood exactly why this was about to happen, Sig let go of the small hands and sat back on the vinyl bench.

"You remember the last time I spanked you…I had you wrap your arms around my leg? When your hands were still raw?" Edgar sniffed and nodded.

"That's how we're gonna do it this time. The bunk is too high for me to sit on, and this seat is pretty narrow. I want you to feel secure." Spreading his knees wide, the older brother waited, giving Edgar the time he always seemed to need at this point. Sig himself could remember how difficult it had always been... to bend over the table and expose his backside, while his father stood ready with the strap. The difference here was that while Dad had expected instant obedience, Sig was willing to wait and let his little brother come to terms with what was happening. This patience paid off in that it only took about a minute for Edgar to lay down across his brother's knees, wrapping his arms snugly around Sig's left calf.

Sig looked down at the boxer-clad bottom before him. _I sincerely hope that this is the last time I'm ever in this position, at least until I have kids of my own. _He placed his left hand lightly on Edgar's back, rubbing soothing circles over the soft cotton t-shirt.

Edgar braced himself for the coming punishment, his breath coming quicker as he held tight to his brother's leg. Feeling the soft touch on his back, he sniffed back the tears that were already threatening. Sig always found a way to help him feel safe, even when he was about to set his backside on fire. He rubbed his cheek against the rough denim, finding it oddly comforting.

"You ready?" The older brother asked softly.

He could hear the quiver in the boy's voice as he answered, "Y-yes, Sir."

Sig knew he couldn't put it off any longer. He raised his right hand and brought it down hard on the thinly covered bottom. Edgar let out a small yelp, and held tighter to his brother's leg as more swats rained down, slowly building in intensity. Sig didn't feel the need to lecture. He let his hand do all the talking, the loud smacks echoing in the small room. The tears that had never been far away were soon streaming down Edgar's cheeks, and he began flinching with every smack of his brother's calloused hand.

Sig could feel the heaving of the boy's back, and his heart broke as Edgar's crying became audible. Undeterred, he started landing two to three swats in a row before moving on to the next spot...communicating to his brother in a crystal-clear fashion that his reckless actions were not going to be tolerated. Having already lost the battle of trying to keep quiet and stoic throughout this ordeal...Edgar just let the tears come, soaking Sig's denim-covered knee.

Preparing to finish this part of the punishment, the older brother set his jaw and increased the strength and speed of the swats. Edgar immediately felt the difference, and he began to involuntarily squirm in a vain attempt to avoid the ever-increasing sting.

"Owww, Sig! Please!" he wailed, fighting the urge to fling his hand back to cover his bottom. Deciding that he had made his point, Sig ended with two hard smacks to the bare thighs. Edgar cried piteously, his legs kicking a little as he tried to deal with the intense sting.

"Shhh, that part's over. It's over," the older brother soothed. "It's gonna be okay..." He gently rubbed the boy's head, carding his fingers through the soft brown hair.

Edgar knew that the brush was still to come, and he felt a little panicky. _How am I gonna handle that? It already stings so bad…I wish I'd never got on board the Time Bandit. I wish I was at school. I wish...I wish I was ANYWHERE else right now…_

Sig was blinking back his own tears and wishing he didn't have to finish this when he felt Edgar twist around. Looking down, his heart broke at the sight of the flushed, teary face. Edgar was still crying, his breathing hitched as he tried to speak.

"Sss-ig…I—I ," his attempt to get the words out was hampered with sobs. Sig tenderly wiped a few tears away with his thumb.

"Shh, take your time. We'll wait a few minutes. Take some deep breaths." Edgar lay his head back on the wet-spotted denim, clasping Sig's leg with his arms as he breathed deeply. The older brother continued to sooth him, rubbing the boy's back as he slowly calmed.

Edgar decided not to try to twist again to face his brother, but he really needed to know.

"Sig, y-you never said how many l-licks I'm gonna get. W-with the brush." Sig's eyes closed as he let out his breath in a rush. _Shit...I always tell him how many beforehand. I guess I just forgot._

"You're right, Lil Bror, I didn't. I'm sorry...I didn't mean to leave you hanging." Having already decided, the older brother then answered the question without hesitation.

"You're getting twelve…and the last four are gonna be on your bare bottom." Sig wanted this over in the worst way. "We're gonna finish it now, okay?"

Edgar dissolved back into tears, squirming a little in anticipation as he nodded his head frantically.

Sig wrapped his strong left arm around his brother's middle, to provide comfort as well as help the boy stay in place for the final swats. Twisting his body a little, he picked up the hairbrush with his other hand. Raising it high, he landed two smart smacks, one to each cheek. Edgar yelped loudly, trying hard to stay still as he felt the deep burn settle into his bum. The fire burned hotter and hotter as Sig rained down firm swats, alternating cheeks and covering all areas. Edgar was crying hard tears, squirming in spite of his efforts not to. Reaching number eight, the older brother quickly pulled back the legs of Edgar's boxers...exposing the soft under curve on both sides. He winced at the sight of the bright pink skin, and had to harden his heart to finish the way that he'd promised. The last four smacks landed in quick succession, two to each sit spot. Edgar's head jerked up and he let out a wail.

"Owwww! Oww! Owww!" Sobbing hoarsely, the little brother unexpectedly pushed against Sig's arm, trying to stand. Releasing his hold, tears flooded Sig's eyes as he watched Edgar jump up and grab his rear end. Bouncing on his toes, the boy continued to sob and try to rub out the sting.

Sig winced. His brother had never tried to rub out the sting before. _Guess it just hurts too much, _he thought sadly. Hardening his heart once more, the older brother raised his voice to be heard over the crying.

"Give me your hands." Edgar's teary eyes widened and he hesitated to obey. Before, he'd always thought that it would be disrespectful for him to rub his backside after Sig spanked him. Now, he couldn't help himself...not that the rubbing was doing much to dull the roaring fire in his butt. Slowly, he let go of his rear end and brought his hands around to place them in Sig's.

Sig's shiny blue eyes communicated his pain. "I know it hurts, Lil Bror. It's meant to, so no more rubbing. The next time you even _think _about pulling a dangerous stunt like this one, you remember how your butt feels right now. You got me?"

Sig let go of Edgar's hands, his eyes serious. He raised the teen's chin, forcing the eyes up. Determined blue eyes met teary green ones.

"Y-yyess, Sir."

The tears were streaming down his little brother's flushed face, and he hiccupped with noisy sobs. His hands started to go back, but he stopped them at his brother's stern look. Sig shifted his rear end back on the narrow seat with a sigh, drawing the boy between his knees once again.

"C'mere, Kid." Edgar threw himself into his big brother's arms, burying his face against Sig's broad chest. The tears continued, Sig stroking the Edgar's back as he held him tightly.

"M'sorry," was the heartfelt whisper he heard, so soft he almost missed it.

"I know you are. I'm sorry, too. I hated being so tough on you. But, Edgar, you can't keep doing things like this. The ocean is nothing to play with. I could've lost you! And it was that thought going through my mind over and over that made me be ABLE to wallop you so hard. Christ, I hated having to do that! But I can't let your disregard for your own life go unanswered. It's all over now...you and me are square. You're forgiven, totally and completely. The only thing is...and I think you know this….you're not gonna be square with Dad."

Edgar nodded his head against his brother's chest. "I-I know. He-he said he'd spank me bare with his hand, if I ever put myself in danger again." This was news to Sig, who wondered what his father would say when he found out that Edgar had already gotten a pretty severe spanking from his elder brother. He also felt a glimmer of relief, that his father was keeping his promise about the strap.

"I know I told you before that you wouldn't ever be spanked twice for the same thing, but this time...I don't know."

"You think he'll still spank me? Even though you already did?" Edgar blinked back new tears at this thought. Now, with his bottom stinging mightily, his previous bravado over the anticipated punishment from his father was fading. _I told myself it was worth it, but my butt hurts so bad right now….I don't even wanna think about what Dad's gonna do. _

"Well, kid, I hate to say it…but there's a good chance. Our father is a man of his word. I guess you should consider yourself lucky that you won't have to face him for a couple of weeks." Sig could feel Edgar's body relaxing in his arms, his head lolling a little bit. He felt a frisson of alarm.

"You okay?"

"Yeah..." drawled Edgar drowsily. "I took some more Dramamine while I was waiting for you to come back from talking to Captain Lammond." He burrowed further into Sig's arms, sniffling. Stroking his brother's damp head, Sig sniffed hard himself as a few tears rolled down his own cheeks. The post-discipline guilt was not as bad this time, but it still killed him to cause his little brother pain. Even though it had been _necessary _pain, he wished it had been someone else...anybody else...that inflicted it. Coming out of his reverie, Sig realized that Edgar had fallen asleep against him.

"Come on, kid. You get some rest." He hefted the lanky teen up in his strong arms, stepping up on the vinyl seat to lay him down on the bunk. Edgar muttered, "Nooo!" holding on tight. Sig chuckled.

_Some things never change. He STILL fights taking a nap. _Ignoring the protest, he loosened the boy's arms from his neck and settled him on his stomach in the bed. Blinking owlishly, Edgar tucked his arm under his cheek. His other hand reached back, rubbing his sore backside over his boxers. Sig didn't have the heart to scold him. _Let him rub. It's over now._

"Get some sleep. I'll wake you in a little while to eat."

"M'kay," was the drowsy reply. Sig gently covered his little brother with the scratchy blanket, rubbing his shoulder lightly as he tucked him in.


	12. Sleepless Nights

_Last night, at home..._

Sverre spent the night tossing and turning, worry for his youngest plaguing his mind. Sleep had never been further away when he finally decided to get up at about 3 a.m. Feeling more tired than ever, he left the bed with its wrinkled, tangled sheets and walked to the window. The night was dark and he could barely make out the whipping tree limbs as the wind shook the house. _Damn storm. Why couldn't that fool kid decide to run off when the weather was decent? They should be moving OUT of the storm front the further they get...but that's a small comfort right now. I want to know that he's okay...dammit!_

The weary father sighed deeply, his fingers trailing across the surface of the window. The room suddenly felt hot, and he leaned forward and rested his forehead on the cold glass. Unwelcome thoughts crowded into his mind. _Edgar could be dead right now, for all I know. For him to be out on a boat in the dark, in poor weather...I don't even want to think about it. _ Anxiety built in his chest, and he breathed deeply while consciously trying to calm himself. Against his will, the thoughts rushed on into unchartered territory...to a place he'd been hesitant to go. _What on earth made him take off like this? Was it something __I__ did? _

Sverre let his mind go back over the past few days. When he'd arrived back from taking Sigurd to the boat, his two younger sons had been nowhere to be seen. He had heard voices coming from Edgar's room as he'd sat drinking his coffee at the kitchen table, but hadn't ventured up to talk to them. Having always been the one leaving for Alaska before this, Sverre had never been around to see how his family had reacted to his departure. Sure, his wife had made no attempt to hide her tears as she bid him farewell...but he couldn't remember his sons ever getting tearful. Yet...when the boys had come downstairs that morning, he had seen the obvious signs that his youngest had been crying. Sverre was no fool; he had witnessed the new closeness between his sons, especially Sig and Edgar. The boy's admiration and devotion for his oldest brother was easy to see, and while it warmed the Old Man's heart...he'd also found himself feeling oddly threatened. _He _was the boy's father.

Catching the direction of his musing, Sverre pulled himself up short. _That's ridiculous. Tell me you're not jealous of your 18 year old son. Just because you wish the kid looked at YOU like that..._

Unwilling to explore further into the myriad emotions these thoughts brought to the surface, he straightened resolutely and turned to get dressed. _Hopefully the storm will pass today, and I can get some answers from the Coast Guard._

* * *

Staring at the ceiling with his hands behind his head, Norman listened to the howling wind. He too, was finding it difficult to sleep that night. It felt weird to know that his little brother wasn't just down the hall, slumbering in his queen-sized bed. _How did HE score the big bed, anyway? _Momentarily distracted by this thought, the tough guy smiled to himself. _It's okay, makes it easier for me to snuggle up with him. _The smile faded as reality hit him again like a ton of bricks...Edgar was gone, and they had no idea if he was safe.

_I'm just gonna choose to believe that he's safe on the Time Bandit, probably cowering down with Captain Hillstrand glaring a hole through him. I'm gonna picture him with Sig on the Northwestern...safe but totally worried about what big brother's gonna do about him running off. _

"Oh, Edgar," his voice sounded loud in the quiet room, "...you'd better be alright."

A few minutes later, Norman heard his father's bedroom door open and the creaking of the stairs. _Guess he can't sleep either. _As much as he wanted to go downstairs with his dad, the teen knew that he needed to try to sleep. Plus, he was pretty sure that the Old Man wouldn't be too happy if he got up... morning was coming soon, and he had school. He sighed and turned over onto his stomach, punching the pillow into shape before laying his head on it. Concentrating on trying NOT to think about Edgar, he closed his eyes...only to open them again a few minutes later.

He punched the pillow. _Crap! I'm never gonna be able to stay awake in class tomorrow...the way this is going. _A sudden need to be a close as possible to his missing little brother overwhelmed him. Before he could talk himself out of it, Norman quietly rose and tiptoed down the hallway to Edgar's room. Curling up in the big bed, he hugged his little brother's pillow and breathed a quiet prayer. _Please let him be okay. _

* * *

_Last night, aboard the Time Bandit..._

Johnathan yawned as he arrived in the wheelhouse at 2:00 a.m. to relieve his father. Captain Hillstrand nodded toward the galley.

"Get yourself some coffee. You gotta keep your wits about you...the storm seems to be easing a bit but it still pays to be careful."

"Yes, sir," he mumbled, heading toward the pleasing aroma wafting from the coffeepot. He filled a travel mug with the hot brew, keeping his balance by leaning hard against the counter. _Geez, the boat is getting knocked around pretty good. What does he mean, 'the storm's easing a bit'? Doesn't seem like it to me. _

Arriving back in the wheelhouse, Johnathan assumed the captain's chair. His father stretched mightily, raising his arms above his head.

"Your brother will relieve you at 6." He eyed the teenager warily. "Don't do anything crazy...just keep it at the heading I've already set. The _Northwestern _is close by, about a half mile ahead of us. I think Sig is manning the wheelhouse right now...you can talk to him and keep both of you awake." Johnathan resisted the urge to roll his eyes...he knew his father was a hardass when it came to respect. _Don't want to piss him off this early in the morning._

"You got it, Pop. Get some sleep...I'll handle everything."

He waited until the door closed behind his dad, and immediately reached for the volume knob of the stereo. The god-awful sound of Kenny Rogers' voice faded, and he breathed a sigh of relief. _I don't think that me and the Old Man will EVER agree about choice of music. _ Leaving the volume down, he picked up the radio handset.

"Northwestern...you out there?"

* * *

Sig heard the crackle of the radio, and reached to turn down his own music. He picked up the handset, leaning back in the comfortable chair and propping his feet up.

"Yeah dude, I'm here. I see you got the night shift, too, huh?"

He could hear Johnathan's snort. "Yeah, me and Andy are the low men on the totem pole, you might say. How's Edgar? Still alive?"

Sig smiled to himself. _No small thanks to you, he is._

"Yeah, he's good. Sleeping now." The oldest Hansen could feel emotion swelling up as he saw again in his mind the daring "transfer at sea" that his friends had executed to get his brother to him. He swallowed hard before continuing, "...hey, thanks for keeping him in one piece. You risked your life to get him to me. I really appreciate it." Johnathan could hear the seriousness in his friend's voice even through the static of the radio. He had younger brothers of his own, and knew he'd do it again in a heartbeat.

"No problem, Bro. I gotta tell you...me and Andy couldn't believe it when we saw him heaving over the side of the boat. My dad ran down there and grabbed him before we even knew what was happening." His chuckle grated through the speaker. "I saw the look on the Old Man's face. Holy shit, even he was a little freaked out. Then he walloped Edgar's ass once, pretty hard. The kid was almost in tears. I've been on the receiving end of one of those...it's not something you want to repeat."

Sig laughed snidely. "Yeah, right...you've probably been on the receiving end of _lots _of those. Admit it, you've never been what could be described as 'the Golden Child'. I've heard the stories. You're lucky you made it to your advanced age without your dad dropping you overboard."

Johnathan smiled sheepishly at his friend's words. He took a sip of his coffee, gazing around the dark wheelhouse. Depressing the handset button, he continued the conversation.

"C'mon, we're not talking about me. We're talking about your Little Bro. Man, your dad must be going crazy right about now. I'll keep an ear out on the radio chatter. If a Coast Guard signal picks up, I'll direct them to contact you. Must be one out on patrol somewhere around here. I wonder if your Pop has any idea that Edgar snuck on our boat. Holy shit, if my little brother did something like this, my dad would _kill him. _Not literally, but let's just say that sitting down would be a distant memory for some time."

Listening, Sig decided not to tell his friend about his plans to physically punish Edgar tomorrow. He wanted to respect the kid's privacy, and he wasn't sure how Johnathan would react. A lot of unchartered territory had been covered this past summer between himself and his brothers...emotional stuff that he sure didn't want to try to explain over the radio.

He kept his answer nonchalant, "Yeah, I'm sure my dad is gonna do the same. At least Edgar will be able to sit down for the next couple of weeks." _After the sting from tomorrow wears off. _He was glad when John changed the subject with his next words.

"Say, you ready for First Mate classes?" The remainder of Sig's wheel watch was filled with conversation between the two about boats, crabbing, and the coming season.

**A/N: Not too long of a chapter this time...but enjoy! Thanks for sticking with me, and remember that the reviews totally MAKE MY DAY!**

** *****Happy 4th of July!*********


	13. The Storm Is Past

Chapter 13:

Sig cracked two eggs into the sizzling frying pan, intent on fixing his little brother a hearty breakfast. _I guess it's kind of like a peace offering...maybe it will take his mind off his sore backside (and also the fact that I was the one who made it that way). Plus, he's been sick and throwing up...he needs something nutritious. _

Adding the eggs to the toast and bacon already on the plate, he poured himself another cup of coffee. There wasn't any more hot chocolate...so he'd let Edgar decide for himself what he wanted to drink. Carrying the steaming cup, Sig climbed the stairs into the Captain's quarters. He opened the door and quietly entered the dim room. Pausing for a minute while his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he heard a rustling coming from his bunk.

"I'm awake," came his little brother's quiet voice from up near the ceiling, where he lay snuggled in the high bed. Sig's groping hand found the light switch, and the room was flooded with light.

"I'm glad you're up. If you sleep any more, I think you'll have a hard time going to bed at a decent hour tonight." The older brother watched as Edgar rubbed his face with both hands, his eyes squinting at the bright light. Sig's heart clenched in his chest as he beheld the dried tear tracks on his brother's cheeks.

"How are you...feeling?" he asked in a deliberately nonchalant manner, trying not to sound as distressed as he felt. _Here it comes. I always feel so guilty after I spank him. Don't let him see that, Sigurd. He knew that he deserved to be punished, and you gave him what he deserved. Now, stop second guessing yourself! _He really missed Norman right about now. Stuck without his best friend to use as a sounding board, he was trying to tell himself what he figured his younger brother would be saying.

"I'm okay." Edgar's voice was hoarse from crying. He continued honestly, "A little sore, but I think we both expected that." He gave his brother a crooked grin.

Sig smiled ruefully. "Yeah, I guess we did, Lil Bror. Hey, I've got breakfast ready for you in the galley, and maybe we could make you some hot tea." He hesitated for a moment, then went on, "...your voice sounds kind of scratchy. Does your throat hurt?"

Edgar cleared his throat. "A little...I guess because I cried so much, huh?" He was a little embarrassed at how he had reacted to the spanking. _Sig probably thinks I'm a wimp. Those last four swats were real stingers, though...I really couldn't help it. I think he's getting better at giving spankings. That's not such a good thing for me in this scenario._

Sig climbed up to stand on the vinyl seat, running his finger gently down the tear-stained cheek. "Yeah, Kid, probably so. I'm glad you let yourself cry...it helps you to let go of things." His voice was soft with regret. "Some hot tea will make it feel better." Stopping himself from apologizing for the administering the discipline, the oldest brother straightened and jumped agilely down to the floor. "Go ahead and get dressed and I'll see you in there, okay?"

"Okay."

Edgar was glad to be left alone, so Sig wouldn't be able to see his reactions to moving. Wincing as he sat on the edge of the bunk with his legs dangling, the teen quickly put his feet down on the vinyl bench seat and stood up. Holding to the edge of the bunk, he stepped carefully down to the carpeted floor. Still feeling the prickly soreness, Edgar reached back and gently rubbed his backside. _Yikes, it still hurts a lot. I definitely don't like that brush. It stings like crazy...and it sure takes a long time to fade. In some ways, I think it's worse than Mom's paddle. _He made his way to the head, grabbing clean clothes from his backpack.

* * *

Sig covered his brother's breakfast plate with aluminum foil to keep it warm. Pouring himself yet another cup of steaming black coffee, he made his way through the entry room and out on to the deck. The sky this morning was a pearly blue, and a brisk sea wind blew the blond hair back from his face. The ocean was an endless blue horizon. He rubbed his jaw, feeling the rough prickliness. _No shaving out here...I'll just grow a beard, I guess. _He leaned against the railing, breathing deeply as he felt the sea spray misting his skin.

_Well, the hard part is over. Now I just gotta keep him safe until we get to Dutch Harbor. _He started making a list in his head, a longstanding habit. _I'll have to set some ground rules for him. He'll need to wear a life jacket whenever he's out on deck, and I need to know where he is at all times. I'll give him some chores to do...this isn't a pleasure cruise. Maybe I'll have him write another essay... _his thoughts were cut off at the faint sound of his brother's voice from the galley.

"...Sig?"

The oldest brother turned quickly and headed for the hatchway. "Coming!"

Edgar was standing next to the table when his brother came through the door. He unwrapped the foil covering his breakfast and sniffed appreciatively.

"Looks great, Sig. Thanks for making it for me." Edgar flashed his movie-star grin, but it quickly faded as he eyed the bench seat apprehensively. Sig noticed, but didn't comment as he walked toward the stove to put the water on to heat for his brother's tea.

"You're welcome. I want you to eat it all. You've been throwing up, and you need your strength." From the corner of his eye, the oldest brother watched the boy slide carefully into the seat with a wince. Busying himself with brewing the tea, Sig gave a soft sigh that went unnoticed by his brother. _Poor kid. He doesn't have to sit...but it's his choice. _It was on the tip of his tongue to ask Edgar if he was hurting, but he didn't want to call attention to the obvious signs. Carefully picking up the mug of tea, Sig carried it over to the table along with his own coffee cup. _I could let him wear my ring for a while...WAIT. He's supposed to already have it! _His eyes shot to Edgar's right hand as he set the steaming cup in front of him.

"Where's the ring?" A bolt of anxiety flooded him. _I hope he didn't lose it while we were swinging him out over the ocean with that crane. _Seeing the look in Sig's eyes, Edgar rushed to reassure his brother.

"It's safe at home...I left it in my nightstand drawer. I—I know I'm supposed to be keeping it safe for you. I didn't want anything to happen to it...so I left it." Sig breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'm glad you left it. That was one _smart_ decision that you made...in the middle of all the not-so-smart ones." Edgar gave a wry smile. Sig continued, "Even though I'm glad it's not here, I can tell that you're hurting. I kind of wish I could give you something you could wear...like we did at home with the ring. Then I wouldn't have to keep asking you if you're still sore."

Edgar's voice was so quiet his brother almost missed the words. "Don't feel bad, Sig. I messed up, and I knew you were gonna make sure I knew it." He shifted, trying to find a comfortable position. "I sure got the message, by the way. Loud and clear! I guess maybe practice makes perfect, huh?" Sig smiled ruefully at his brother's reference to the several spankings he'd received over the summer.

"Yeah, little brother...I guess so. Although, it's not something I really want to get any better at. So, why don't we let this be the last one, okay?"

Edgar smiled again, shoveling eggs into his mouth. "That's totally fine by me."

* * *

Later that day, Sig was manning the wheelhouse when the crackling of the radio startled him. He glanced at Edgar, who had been shadowing him all day. He picked up the handset.

"It's probably the _Time Bandit," _he told his brother. Instead, he was surprised to hear an unfamiliar voice coming through the speaker.

"This is the Coast Guard. Northwestern six-seven-seven, do you read?" Sig glanced out the window, looking for an approaching vessel...but the horizon was clear.

"Roger, Coast Guard. This is Northwestern six-seven-seven. I read you loud and clear." Relief flooded him. _Now I'll be able to get word to my dad and Norman about Edgar._

The voice was crisp and curt. "This is Captain Schneider. To whom am I speaking?"

Edgar watched with admiration as his brother handled this conversation. "This is Sigurd Hansen, Sir."

"Mr. Hansen, we have received a report that your brother, a Mr. Edgar Hansen, is currently unaccounted for. Your father has contacted us, and he is understandably very concerned. There is reason to believe that the boy is aboard your vessel. Do you have him there?"

Sig glanced at Edgar again, mouthing the words, "Now we can let Dad and Norman know you're okay." He depressed the handset button.

"Yes sir, Edgar is with me. I would appreciate it if you would make sure that the message is relayed back to my family that he is alive and well."

The radio crackled again. "Roger that, he will be informed. I understand that Edgar is a minor, 13 years old, is that correct?"

"Yes, sir."

The voice was stern. "Would it be possible to speak to him?" Edgar paled and shook his head, his eyes pleading with his brother.

Sig locked eyes with the boy, crooking his finger at him as he spoke into the handset.

"Yes, Sir...he's right here with me." He placed the handset in his brother's shaking hand.

"It'll be alright." he whispered. "Just answer him respectfully."

Edgar nodded, leaning against his brother's leg. Sig put an arm around him and squeezed. He could imagine how intimidating this was for a thirteen year-old. _It's actually a good thing. He needs to know how much trouble he's caused with his shenanigans. _

"Edgar Hansen?" The voice was no less stern.

Edgar depressed the button and spoke bravely into the handset. "Y-yes, Sir."

He could hear a sigh on the other end of the connection. "Young man, you have caused your family considerable worry and stress, not to mention risking your life."

The boy blinked back tears. "Yes, Sir...I know. I'm sorry. I won't ever do it again."

The voice was wry. "Being a father myself, I have a feeling that your dad is going to make sure of that when you get home. I'm sure he'll be very relieved to hear that you are safe. I am expecting you to be on your best behavior for your brother. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Sir," Edgar quavered, a lone tear sliding down his cheek. Sig silently watched and listened to this interaction, his heart hurting for his brother but knowing it was necessary. He rolled the chair back and gently tugged Edgar down to sit on his thigh. Feeling somewhat comforted, the boy leaned back against his brother's hard chest.

The radio crackled again as the Coast Guard captain went on, "Alright, then. Let me talk to your brother." Sig could hear that the man's voice had softened considerably. _He said he's a dad himself. He could probably hear the tears in Edgar's voice._

Taking the handset from his brother, he spoke confidently.

"This is Sigurd Hansen, Sir."

"Mr. Hansen, be advised that your family will be notified of your brother's whereabouts and condition. May we be of any additional assistance?"

"No, sir. Thank you for contacting me. Northwestern six-seven-seven out."

Sig sat back in his chair and hugged Edgar to him, kissing the top of the brown head.

"You did well. I know that was hard, but you have to take responsibility for your actions. At least now Dad and Norman will be able to stop worrying that you're okay." Sitting in his brother's embrace, Edgar felt safe and secure.

"Thanks, Sig," he nestled his face against the muscular shoulder. "Thanks for always taking care of me."

Sig's arms tightened around his brother. "You bet. Love ya, kid."

* * *

Sverre was sitting at the desk in his bedroom, paying bills and balancing the checkbook. It was harder to worry when he kept his mind busy. There had been no word from the Coast Guard, although the officer had assured him that he would be contacted immediately as soon as they heard anything.

Despite the fact that neither father or son had gotten much sleep, Norman had gamely gone to school that morning without complaint. He was due back any minute; Sverre knew that his shift at the hardware store ended at 7:30. The ringing phone startled him, and he dropped his pen.

"Hello?"

"Yes, this is Sergeant Harrison with the Coast Guard. May I speak to Mr. Sverre Hansen?"

The Old Man could feel his heart speed up. _Oh God, let this be good news._

"Yes, this is he."

He could hear a smile in the man's voice. "Well, Sir, I'm glad to be able to inform you that we have received confirmation that your son, Edgar Hansen, is alive and unharmed and currently aboard the _Northwestern _with your older son."

Sverre let out his held breath in a rush. "Thank God!"

"Your son, Sigurd Hansen, will contact you as soon as the boat docks in Dutch Harbor."

"Yes, thank you for letting me know." His profound relief was slowly being replaced with anger toward his youngest son. _That boy is going to be very sorry when I get my hands on him._

"Tell me, Sir," he asked the Coast Guard officer. "Are you a father?"

The man chuckled. "Yes, I am. Three boys and a girl. I think I can identify with how you must be feeling right now. You're relieved, but that boy is in really big trouble. Am I right?"

Sverre smiled grimly. "Exactly. I appreciate you notifying me. Good night." Hanging up the phone, he heard the back door slam downstairs.

"Norman!" he bellowed, rising from his chair. Meeting his father at the top of the stairs, Norman's handsome face reflected his worry.

"What's up, Dad? Have you heard anything?"

"Just got off the phone with the Coast Guard. Your brother is okay...he's with Sig."

Norman sagged with relief. "Thank God! He must have been on the _Time Bandit, _like we thought."

He saw the look on his father's face. "Ummm, I'm guessing when he gets home you're gonna send me out to get ice cream and see a movie, huh?"

Sverre's annoyed look faded into a tired smile. "Yes, Son, there's no doubt about that. Your brother is definitely in very big trouble. But, we won't be dealing with that for a couple of weeks. For tonight, what say we go out to dinner and celebrate the fact that he's okay?"

Norman's face broke into a smile. "Great idea, Dad."


	14. Alaska Looming

**A/N: A quick "thanks" to all of you who are following this story!  
**

Edgar had been aboard the _Northwestern _for almost two weeks. During that time, his body had slowly become acclimated to the rolling motion of the ocean. He was happy to leave the rest of the Dramamine tablets safely in the bottle, celebrating the fact that he didn't feel so drowsy anymore. The young teen stood on the deck, leaning on the rail and staring out into the endless ocean horizon. The sky was clear and sharply blue, without a cloud in sight. Even though he was getting tired of wearing it, the life jacket was secured tightly to his body. Sig had laid down the law as far as safety precautions on the boat, and for the most part Edgar had done a pretty good job in following orders.

Only once had his big brother caught him on deck without the life jacket in place. From the look on Sig's face, Edgar had thought that he was in for it for sure. But Sig had just walloped his rear end once, kind of halfway between a love tap and a real smack, promising much worse if he found the boy on deck without a life jacket again. By this time, the effects of the spanking Sig had given him that first day had been long gone. The memory was still very fresh in his mind, however, and he'd had no desire for his brother to reignite _that_ fire.

So here he stood, safely bundled in the orange jacket...with anxious thoughts swirling around his brain. Sig had just informed him that the boat would be docking in Dutch Harbor early tomorrow morning. Edgar now had to face the reality that not only was he going to be leaving his big brother... he would soon be facing his father.

_Sig promised that he would try to talk to Dad...tell him that I already got punished. Dad was probably sooo pissed at me when he found out what I did. Hopefully he's cooled down some in the time I've been with Sig. _Although he was grateful to his big brother for promising to try...Edgar did not hold out much hope that he would be off the hook with the Old Man. He sighed. _I'm gonna get it, for sure. How am I gonna make it without Sig? It'll be 3 months before I even see him again. _This was bothering him even more than the prospect of facing his dad.

Unbeknownst to the boy, his older brother was watching him from the rear window of the wheelhouse. Sig had known that hearing that they were almost to their destination would be upsetting to Edgar, and he'd wanted to give his brother some time to get used to the idea. Little by little over the last two weeks, Sig and Edgar had talked several times about the future...namely Edgar's future which held several more years of school. He hoped that he'd been able to make it clear to his brother what was expected...he needed to buckle down and focus on graduating from high school before he could join Sig on the boat.

Sig's attention was diverted from the window by the arrival of Neil, climbing up the steps into the wheelhouse. Ready for some downtime, the oldest Hansen brother was relieved to see him. Relinquishing the comfortable captain's chair, Sig watched as the older man sat down with a sigh. Neil glanced at the control panel of instruments and then looked out the windows, inspecting the deck. Spying the young teenager standing at the rail, bright orange life jacket securely in place, Neil jerked his head toward the boy.

"He okay?"

Sig sighed, "Yeah, I just brought him up to speed on the fact that we'll be docking in Dutch tomorrow. I think he needs some time alone."

"He worried about facing your dad?"

Sig knew instinctively that Dad's response to his actions was not the only thing worrying his brother. Over the last couple of weeks, Sig had confided in the older captain...telling him much of what had happened over the summer. Therefore, he knew he didn't need to explain further when he answered.

"Yeah, I'm sure he's worried. I know _I _would be. But there's more. I think he's upset because he doesn't want to...leave _me_."

Neil completely understood this statement. He had known the Hansen family for many years, and was fully aware of the emotional upheaval that they were going through. After the death of his mother, Edgar had latched on to his oldest brother for comfort and security. Neil knew that Sverre had been emotionally unavailable to his sons during the most intense time of the grief; in fact, the man had never been much good at showing his emotions at all. Sverre's old friend was glad to see that his oldest son had stepped up and been willing to provide what Edgar needed. Still, it was a heavy burden for an 18 year-old to bear.

"You know, Son...I'm proud of you. You've been a strong support and example for your brothers during this hard time, especially that boy out there. It's easy to see how much he loves and admires you. But, it's time now for your father to step up to the plate and be what Edgar needs. I know he's not a guy to wear his heart on his sleeve, but he loves you boys more than anything." He continued to watch Edgar through the window as he spoke. "Now, I think that you and I both know that your dad is going to give Edgar a good licking when he gets him home...even though you already gave him one. This was a serious thing that he did, and Sverre knows that. And-as hard as it is for Edgar to let _you _go...I think it's proving to be even harder for _you _to let _him _go. Am I right?"

Sig sighed again. _Geez, he hit the nail right on the head. _"Yeah...it sucks. This summer I got closer to him than I ever have before...I'll really miss having him around. I don't want him to have to take another spanking. I won't even be around to comfort him after, and I don't have a lot of faith that Dad will."

Now it was Neil's turn to sigh. "There's not a whole lot you can do about that. Just make sure to explain to your father everything you did with Edgar these last two weeks, and _why _you did it. As hard as it is, Son, you're going to have to let him go. You need to focus on First Mate school and this upcoming trip. It's gonna take a lot out of you, and you'll need your whole head in the game. You've got tonight to spend with the kid...I'll man the wheelhouse until 4 a.m."

Sig's words were quiet, but his tone of voice spoke volumes. "Thanks, Neil." The oldest Hansen brother made his way down the steps and toward the galley, content to wait until Edgar finished his "thinking time" and sought him out.

* * *

Norman walked down the front steps of the high school, just one in a sea of humanity as classes let out for the day. The sky was cloudy and overcast, and he shrugged on his grey sweatshirt jacket as he walked toward the school parking lot. Feeling the sprinkling of fine rain drops, he pulled the hood up over his head and quickened his pace. _Rain again. That's Washington for you. Seems like we never have even two straight sunny days in a row. I wonder how the weather is where Sig and Edgar are. I know that Dad is expecting to hear from Sig any day now...they should be almost to Alaska. At least it's not winter yet...the weather shouldn't be too bad at this time of year..._Lost in his thoughts, Norman didn't notice the uniformed police officer standing next to his truck.

He was startled as one of his friends called out, "Hey Norman, what'd you do?"

Looking up quickly, Norman's eyes widened as he saw Patricia waiting by the truck. She was dressed in uniform and her hair was pulled back from her face in a business-like bun. He blushed at the attention that was being generated by the sight of a uniformed police officer in the parking lot of the school.

"Ooooh, Norm, you're in trouble now..." was characteristic of the comments being thrown his way as he approached the truck. Patricia looked around at the crowd with a glare.

"Move along, please. Everything is fine." She glanced apologetically at Norman. "I guess maybe I should've just come by your house, huh?"

Norman shrugged. He was actually kind of enjoying the attention.

"Naww, that's okay. It helps to promote my "bad boy" image. What can I do you for, Officer?" he asked with a charming Hansen smile that reminded her of his older brother. Norman had a feeling that he knew why she was there.

This feeling was confirmed by her next words. "I never heard from your father about Edgar. I've been hoping that it meant good news...that you found him. Is he okay?"

Norman felt bad that she had been worrying all this time when he could have easily eased her mind.

"He's fine. Actually, he's with Sig on the _Northwestern._ He stowed away on another boat and got them to take him to Sig."

Patricia gasped. "Oh my God, are you serious? No wonder his bike was left by the harbor. That was a pretty risky thing to do...I can't think that your brother...or your father...are very happy with him. How did you find out?" Norman explained the whole story in detail...from the conversation in the hardware store to the phone call from the Coast Guard telling them that Edgar was safe.

"We're expecting to hear from Sig any day now. The boat should be docking in Alaska soon."

Refraining from asking how Sig was doing, Patricia just smiled. "I'm so glad that Edgar is safe." She raised her voice slightly with a twinkle in her eye as she glanced around. "I'll let you off with a warning this time. Have a nice day."

Norman's eyes widened, and he fought to keep a straight face as he answered in a serious voice.

"Yes, Ma'm. Thank you, Officer." Grinning broadly, he jumped into the silver Ford and slammed the door.

* * *

Sig sat at the table in the galley, drinking steaming coffee from a travel mug. Glancing through a fishing magazine, he absentmindedly drummed his fingers on the table top. Edgar had not yet appeared and the older brother was starting to get a little worried. Just as he was about to go look for the kid, the entry room door swung open. Shivering from being out on the deck for so long, Edgar shuffled over to the table and slid into the bench seat across from his brother. Sig pushed the magazine away and sipped his coffee. He regarded his brother over the rim of the cup.

"You look pretty cold. Want something hot to drink?"

"Okay," Edgar answered morosely, eyes on the table. The older brother stood up and walked to the stove, talking as he did so.

"You stayed out there pretty long. I guess you just needed some thinking time, huh?" He wasn't going to beat around the bush. If he had learned anything this past summer, it was how important it was to talk about things...and not bottle it all up inside of you.

"Yeah," was the monosyllabic reply. Edgar was still trying to come to terms with the fact that he would be leaving Sig either tomorrow or the next day. Once they docked, Sig would call their father from a pay phone and arrange Edgar's flight back to Washington. Blinking back the tears that had been threatening ever since he'd heard the news, the little brother avoided Sig's gaze as he set the steaming cup of hot tea in front of him.

Sig sat back down with a sigh. "Edgar, look at me." The boy obeyed immediately, a lone tear sliding down his cheek as he looked into those clear blue eyes.

"Listen, you're gonna be fine." Sig figured if he said it enough, he would come to believe it himself. "I know you're worried about what Dad's gonna do...but there's not a whole lot you can do about that. I'll talk to him tomorrow, and we'll just have to go from there." More tears were falling, and Sig slid out of the booth. Sitting on the round blue stool, he spread his knees and opened his arms.

"C'mere, Kid." Edgar scrambled out of his seat, bumping the table and sloshing tea out of his cup as he flew into his brother's arms. Feeling safe, he nestled into Sig's arms and tried to stop crying. _I need to man up and just deal with this. I don't want to keep making Sig feel bad...it's not his fault that I'm here. It's MINE. _Resolved, he pulled his head back and looked at his brother.

"I'm ok-kay, Sig. I'm glad you're gonna try to talk to Dad, but if I get another lickin', I get another lickin'. There's nothing either of us can do about it. I don't want to spend this last night with you all upset and worrying. Maybe we can have popcorn and play poker or something?" Sig smiled at the hopefulness in his little brother's voice.

"I love you, you know that? And I'm proud of you...you're facing up to your mistakes and learning from them. Let's make some dinner, and then the poker game is ON."

Edgar smiled his signature movie star grin. "Get ready to lose, Big Brother."


	15. Memories

Chapter 15:

Later that night, after graciously losing several hands of poker, Sig sent Edgar to get ready for bed while he went out on the deck for one last cigarette. The sea wind was brisk; he watched the full moon blinking in and out of wispy clouds as he leaned on the deck rail. Forgetting for a time about the coming parting, he and Edgar had been able to enjoy themselves tonight and just be...brothers.

Now, with time to be alone with his thoughts, the oldest brother smiled to himself. _Tonight was fun. I'm glad we got to spend this time together...it'll be a great memory to help us get through the next three months. He seems like he's doing better about the whole thing. It will be good for him to get back to home and the school routine...I know he doesn't think so, though. He still wants to stay with ME. Too bad, little brother. Sometimes, a man's gotta do things he doesn't like. I know he's not a man yet, but this is good training for the reality of life as an adult...something I'm only just starting to experience. _

He sighed and stubbed out the cigarette. _I'd better get to bed...I've got to be in the wheelhouse early._

* * *

Edgar lay in the high bunk, waiting for Sig to come to bed. The older brother had been sleeping on the vinyl bench in front of his bunk...both of them having come to the realization that Sig's bunk was too narrow for two people to sleep in on a daily basis. The wood-paneled door swung open and the tall blond entered, closing the door softly behind him.

"It's okay...I'm still awake," came his brother's quiet voice. Sig turned in surprise. He had been expecting the boy to be asleep...they had both gotten up pretty early that morning.

"I thought you'd be out like a light by now. Can't sleep?"

"I was waiting for you."

Silently digesting this, Sig regarded his brother thoughtfully for a moment. "Well, here I am. I'm gonna get ready for bed."

Edgar had already laid out his brother's blankets and pillow, so when Sig finished in the head he was able to stretch out with a sigh. Edgar leaned over the side of the bunk, his green eyes shining in the soft light from the over bed lamp.

"Are you real tired? I kinda wanted to talk for a while."

Sig stretched his muscular arms above his head. "Nah, it's our last night. We can talk if you want to. Did you want to talk about something specific?"

Edgar pulled his pillow to the edge of the bunk and lay on his side with his head propped on his arm.

In the midst of the anxious thoughts and trepidation that had been plaguing him about what would be happening in the next few days, the young boy had found himself flooded with memories of the past...specifically the "wait" for his father to come home from fishing. Even though this time, it was his father who was waiting for _him _to come home...the butterflies in his stomach still felt the same.

"I've been thinking about when we were younger...and how it felt waiting for Dad to come home from a trip." Sig remained silent, watching his brother's thoughtful face.

"I mean, until that time when I tried to start a fire in the fireplace...I was never too worried about Dad coming home. I mean, sure, I was sad because usually either you or Norm were gonna get a lickin'..."

Sig looked at his brother with wide, expressive eyes. "Hey, there were a few times when our list was blank...maybe once or twice."

Edgar grinned. "Yeah, I guess...but I don't remember. Anyway, usually I was kind of excited that Dad was coming home. I always missed him when he was gone, and I liked going to the docks and on the _Northwestern _with him when he was there. But that time after the fireplace thing, it was sure different…waiting for Dad, I mean. Mom wrote it on the list, _in ink, _remember?"

Sig smiled sadly. "Yeah, little brother, I remember. That was almost six years ago...you were only eight. How much of that time do _you _remember?"

Edgar sighed. "I remember a lot..."

* * *

******Flashback to Edgar's 8****th**** year***(This will be more than **_**just Edgar's**_** memories...)**

Eight year-old Edgar Hansen watched from his upstairs bedroom window as his mom drove away. She was going grocery shopping and had decided that Sig and Norman were old enough to keep an eye on their younger brother. The boy wasn't too sure about being left in Sig's care especially...his oldest brother could be kind of mean sometimes. He flopped down on his bed, lying on his stomach with his feet in the air. Resting his head on folded arms, the young boy contemplated whether or not he should join his brothers…if they would let him play or not. The lure of the happy shouts coming from the backyard was too strong…he rolled off the bed and crossed the hallway into his parents' bedroom to look out their window. Sig and Norman were laughing and kicking the soccer ball around under a cloudless blue sky. Bravely deciding to join them, Edgar bounded down the stairs. _I can always just threaten to tell Mom on them if they don't let me play._

Coming through the living room, he slowed as he passed the red brick fireplace. Edgar had a fascination with fire. He loved to watch it flicker, all orange and yellow and blue down at the bottom. Right now, the fireplace was cold and lifeless...the ashes from last night still gathered at the bottom under the grate. He looked up at the mantle, and spied the box of matches that his mother must have forgotten to put away. The wood box that sat on the side of the hearth was full to overflowing; compliments of Norman, whose job it had been to fill it that morning. The October nights were chilly and the family had a fire in the fireplace almost every evening, for warmth and to spend time together.

A longing filled Edgar to see a flickering fire, and his mind started going into forbidden territory. _I've seen how Sig starts the fire when Mom lets him. He stacks the wood up a certain way, with kindling and newspaper. I could just do a small one...Sig and Norman are busy outside and Mom just left. _

Cautiously, the young boy tiptoed over to the back door, peering through the window glass to make sure that his brothers were still occupied with the soccer ball. They were running and shouting and seemed to be in the middle of a game that would not end for some time. Satisfied that he was in the clear, Edgar began to carefully stack the wood and kindling as he had seen his oldest brother do. The quietness of the house was lulling the young boy into a false sense of security…he completely forgot that the smell from a fire would linger in the house. Once everything was just so, he stole back and peered through the white lacy curtains that graced the glass of the back door window. Sig and Norman were still playing hard and oblivious to what was going on inside the house. The boy darted back to the fireplace and pulled the ottoman over so he could stand on it to reach the matches.

Sliding open the match box, Edgar quickly glanced around before pulling out one of the wooden sticks. As he had watched his brother do, he struck the match against the rough surface of the box. The flame flared and he held the match up, mesmerized as he watched it burn. Realizing that it was close to burning his fingers, the boy quickly blew it out and drew another from the box. He struck it and began to carefully light the bundles of newspaper that he had stuffed under the wood and kindling. Instead of a beautiful fire flickering to life, though, the paper began smoking. His heart pounding, Edgar fanned with his hands trying to get the wood to light. More smoke started billowing, and he coughed a little while still frantically trying to fan it away. He was so caught up in trying to get rid of the smoking evidence that he failed to hear the slam of the car door...his mother was home.

* * *

Mrs. Hansen had decided to make it a quick trip to the store. She had forgotten that the new weekly ad started the next morning, and she would need to wait until then to get most of the things on her list at the sale prices. Money was a bit tight right now, and would continue to be until Sverre returned from his trip. Besides, the young mother had been in two minds about leaving her youngest son home at the mercy of his older brothers.

Smiling to herself, she walked up the porch steps carrying the one brown grocery sack filled with ingredients for dinner that night. _Those boys are sure to be excited when they find out that we are making our own pizza tonight. It's already getting nippy outside...we can have a nice fire in the fireplace and have hot chocolate. _Opening the front door, she immediately smelled the smoke.

"Boys!" she called, hurriedly dropping the sack on the kitchen counter and rushing toward the living room. Her heart jammed in her throat as she heard a cough.

"Oh my God!"

Quickly scanning the room for fire, she was relieved to see only smoke puffing from the fireplace. Her youngest son was coughing and frantically fanning the smoke with his hands.

"Edgar James Hansen! What on earth...?" The tall blonde woman hurried over to the coughing boy and grabbed him by both arms, steering him into the kitchen. Once he was out of the smoke-filled room, Edgar's breathing immediately became easier. He wiped his streaming eyes on his sleeve, avoiding his mother's gaze.

"Are you alright? Are you burned?" Mom ran her hands down his arms and chest, looking for injuries.

Edgar coughed again. "No, Mommy. I'm not burned. Honest!" His mother grabbed him into a forceful hug, rocking them both back and forth. Once she had assured herself that he was indeed unharmed, her anger flared.

Blue eyes flashing, she shook the boy once, firmly. "What were you thinking, young man? Playing with fire is very dangerous! Look at me!" Taking the small chin firmly in her shaking hand, she forced his eyes to hers. "You and your brothers could have been seriously hurt! You know better!" Seeing the teary shine in his mother's eyes, Edgar's own tears began to fall. He had never seen his mother so angry…and he knew he was in BIG trouble.

I'm sor-sorry, Mommy! Don't cry! I'm sorry!"

"In the corner, young man. RIGHT NOW!" Now crying hard, the youngest Hansen scurried over to the corner of the kitchen, pressing his forehead to the plaster wall. Mom stood breathing hard in the middle of the kitchen, her hand to her heart. _They might have all been killed. _She was so angry, even the pitiful sobs coming from the corner did not faze her. She spoke to the back of the small brown head.

"How could you do such a thing? You _know _that you are not allowed to touch fire. I have told you many times, your Pappa has told you many times...you could have burned the house down! With you in it!" The boy's wails became louder throughout his mother's tirade.

"I'm sorry, Mama!" he hiccupped, not daring to turn around from the corner.

"You stay right there, young man. Don't you dare move from that corner!" She wiped her eyes on a dish towel, tossing it on the counter as she headed down toward the back door and the happy shouts of her two older sons.

"Sigurd Jonny and Norman Scott!" Two sets of wide blue eyes flew to hers as the soccer ball rolled across the lawn, forgotten. Mom was _mad._

"Do you smell anything? Anything like _smoke_?! You were supposed to be watching your brother. I just came home to find him _trying to start a fire in the fireplace!_" Her blue eyes bored into those of her eldest son.

"Sigurd, I was trusting you to watch him. He's younger than you…you must keep him safe! And you as well, Norman…he is your baby brother!" Sig and Norman could both see the tears in her eyes…seeming to be directly at odds with the ire in her voice.

"Is he okay, Mom?" Sig asked with concern, glancing worriedly toward the house as he wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"He is not hurt, thank goodness. He is standing in the corner, and will be there for a long while." She watched as the realization of what could have happened flashed across her older son's face.

"Yes, he could have been badly burned. I don't want either of you to ever forget that. Now, both of you go to your rooms! I will tell you when you may come out."

Picking up the soccer ball, Sig followed his brother to the back door. He glanced up at his mother as he stepped over the threshold.

"I'm sorry, Mom." His young voice was thick with unshed tears.

Mom sighed, running her finger down the flushed cheek. "Yes, I know. Go on, now."

* * *

Standing in the quiet living room, Mrs. Hansen wished that her husband was home. She knew exactly how he would deal with their youngest son for this infraction. And for once, she fully agreed. Sighing, the young mother came to a decision. She walked back into the kitchen and rummaged around in the kitchen junk drawer, finally spying what she was looking for: a blue ball point pen. With a sorrowful glance at the small boy in the corner, she headed for 'The List' hanging on the refrigerator.

Edgar's sobs were slowly quieting, and he took deep breaths as he shifted his feet while still facing the corner. He had heard his mother come back into the kitchen, but she wasn't saying anything. _At least she's not yelling at me anymore. _The boy blinked back new tears as he began to realize the seriousness of what he had done. The lure of the fire had been too strong...he hadn't even been thinking of the danger. His thoughts were interrupted by a faint scratching sound. Curious, he turned slightly and tried to see what it was. To his horror, the youngest Hansen saw his tall, blond mother walking away from the refrigerator, pen in hand. He squinted at the white piece of paper with the names of the three Hansen boys written across the top. There were a few things written in pencil under Sig and Norman's names, but Edgar's attention was riveted on the space below his own name: several words written in blue stood out starkly against the white paper. Panic seized him.

"No, Mama, please! I'm sorry!" The sobs began anew as he buried his face in his hands. Edgar's name had NEVER had anything written in ink under it. Only Sig and Norman had that sometimes. The youngest Hansen knew that items written in ink could not be erased...Pappa would see it when he came home. His brothers had told him about Pappa's strap, and what happened when you had ink on your list. He felt his mother's hands on his shoulders, gently turning him to face her.

"I am sorry, _babyen min, _but you must take responsibility for your actions. You must learn to _never _play with fire. I am afraid that Pappa is going to have to help you learn that." She used both of her thumbs to wipe some of the tears still cascading down the young face. "You go to your room, and think about why you are in trouble. I will call you when you can come out." Heart breaking as she looked into the forlorn little face, the young mother had to dig deep and strengthen her resolve. She turned the boy toward the stairs.

"Go on, now."

*********FLASHBACK SCENE WILL CONTINUE IN THE NEXT CHAPTER**************


	16. More Memories

The sun was just beginning to edge its way through the beige curtains of Edgar's bedroom window. As a shaft of light fell on his face, he squinted and stirred in his warm bed. Remembering that today was Saturday, he rolled over and hugged his pillow with a smile. _I can watch the Saturday morning cartoons. I don't hear anyone downstairs...maybe Sig and Norm are still asleep and I can watch "the Smurfs". _Not wasting a second, the little boy scrambled out of the covers. He descended the stairs quietly, pulling his blanket behind him.

To Edgar's delight, the living room was quiet and dim. He clicked on the TV and flipped the channels, grinning as he heard the theme music to "_the Smurfs". _Norman and Sig said it was a dumb show for babies, and he knew that if they were awake...they'd make him turn the channel to something else. Deciding to grab a bowl of cereal, he skipped into the kitchen—only to stop dead in his tracks. There on the kitchen floor sat a large duffel bag...it was Pappa's bag. His father was home from his fishing trip.

Normally, this sight would have filled Edgar with excitement. He always missed his dad and was usually happy to see him. Today, however, his mind was filled with only one thought: _Did Pappa see "the List"?_ He didn't want to look, but his eyes went of their own accord to the refrigerator door. There was no piece of paper hanging on it. _Oh no! Pappa must have taken it down. He already saw it! I hope he's real tired from his trip and sleeps for a long time...all day would be good. _His tummy now filled with butterflies, Edgar decided not to get a bowl of cereal after all. He trudged back into the living room and bundled into his blanket for comfort. Trying to ignore his stomach, he settled down to watch the show.

* * *

Sverre snuggled with his wife in the downy comfort of their queen sized bed. He had arrived home after midnight, but they had not gone to sleep right away. Husband and wife had stayed awake for a few hours...touching and kissing and assuaging their need of one another. They had not really talked much yet, content to just be together after the long separation. The morning sun was now streaming through the blinds, casting shadows of light and dark on the brown carpet. Sensing that his wife was now awake, Sverre pulled her to him and cradled her back against his chest.

"Good morning, elskling," he breathed into her sweet-smelling blond hair.

She pulled his sinewy forearm down over her chest, clasping it with both hands. "Good morning, my love."

He pressed a kiss to her neck. "And how did the boys behave while I was away?" He could feel the sudden tenseness in her body. Having already taken a look at "the List", immediately he knew why.

"It looks like our youngest was busy while I was gone, hmm?" She nodded against him.

"Yes, Sverre, I'm afraid he was." They were both quiet for a moment. Sverre was well aware that this was going to be a difficult thing for his wife. She had _neve_r put her baby on "the List", at least not in ink. He knew that she had to be struggling even more than usual...knowing that the boy needed to have consequences for his actions, but wanting to protect him from the coming punishment at the same time. When she remained silent, he smiled ruefully.

"You want to ask me not to spank him, don't you, honey?"

He felt her sigh against him. "I want to...but I already told myself I wouldn't. It was so dangerous, what he did. It seems like it happened such a long time ago, but it was only three weeks. I left him home with Sigurd and Norman while I went to the grocery store. They were playing in the back yard, and Edgar was in the house by himself. Thank God, I had forgotten which day the new sales started and came home much sooner than I had planned. The living room was filled with smoke..."

Sverre's arm tightened around his wife in alarm. "He wasn't hurt, was he?"

"No, no, my love...he was only coughing a little. He had tried to start a fire in the fireplace, but the wood didn't light. It was smoking and he was trying to put it out when I came in. I whisked him into the kitchen and put him right into the corner. I don't think I've ever been that angry...I almost could've spanked him myself!"

Her husband chuckled at this admission. "You, elskling?"

She sighed again. "No, not me. I couldn't do that. Especially not to my baby. I really wish that day had never happened."

"But it did. And I'm sure Edgar knows that there will have to be consequences because of it."

Mrs. Hansen turned in her husband's arms and burrowed into his chest. "Yes, I know that he's been worrying, the poor thing. He's asked me a few times how long you were planning to be gone on this trip. We weren't expecting you back for a few more days...he's in for a shock when he realizes that you are home early. You will be gentle with him, my love?"

His arms tightened around her. "I won't be harsh, but he is going to learn a sharp lesson about playing with fire. It must be strong enough to be an effective deterrent to this kind of behavior in the future. I will also speak to Sigurd and Norman about taking their responsibility seriously when they are in charge of their brother. We'll get it all over with this morning...I want to be able to relax and enjoy seeing my family after being away from you all for so long. You know how I feel about having to punish one of the boys as soon as I get home. I know that it is too hard for you to physically punish them, Honey...and I will not ask you to do it. But it is also hard...for me."

Her blue eyes shone with tears as she looked up at him and stroked her finger down his bristly cheek.

"I know, my love. But it is necessary. You must keep telling yourself that. I must keep telling _myself _that, as well. I just can't spank them, Sverre. After that one time with Sigurd...I just can't. Thank you for understanding my weakness, and for being strong where I can't be. As for today, perhaps I will take the two older boys out for breakfast. I can hear the television...Edgar is probably watching cartoons. We will bring back some breakfast for the two of you."

* * *

Sig and Norman came downstairs together, yawning and rubbing the sleep from their eyes.

"The Smurfs!" exclaimed Norman. "C'mon, Ed, when are you gonna stop watching this baby show?" He made for the television to change the channel, but his older brother's voice stopped him.

"Wait, Norm. Edgar, what's the matter?" Norman looked over at the couch to see his little brother sniffling and wiping tears from his eyes. Forgetting the TV, both older brothers stared at Edgar with concern. The boy blushed a little. He _so_ wanted to be brave like Sig and Norman, but he was scared.

"Da-dad's home." His voice quivered. "I saw his bag on the floor in the kitchen. He already took down "the List". Now he's gonna sp-spank me, 'cuz I tried to start the fire." His brothers looked at each other with sad, knowing eyes. They understood completely how Edgar was feeling. In a rare show of affection, Sig sat down on the couch next to his brother.

"Hey, it'll be okay, Edgar. It'll hurt, but then it will be done and over with. Believe me, you'll feel lots better when it's not hanging over your head anymore." He put his arm around the boy, and Edgar leaned into his brother's side.

"O-okay, Sig," he hicupped. "I'm gonna try to be brave...like you." The oldest brother smiled, releasing Edgar and heading for the kitchen. Norman leaned toward his brother.

"Remember what I told you? Just count back from 10, and DON'T CRY. Okay?"

The little boy nodded sadly. _How can I NOT cry? I'm already crying, and nothing's even happened yet._

* * *

Edgar stayed in the living room after his mother and brothers left the house to go to the diner for breakfast. He wished he were going, too...instead of staying home with Dad getting ready to face his consequences. Dad was in the kitchen, drinking coffee at the table. The butterflies were doing a jitterbug in Edgar's stomach, and he could barely concentrate on the cartoons.

"Edgar!" came the gruff call. Knowing better than to dally, the little boy quickly stood up and turned off the television. Taking a deep breath, he trudged into the sunlit kitchen like a condemned man going to the gallows. Dad turned from the pantry door, holding the dreaded strap in his hand. He crooked his index finger, motioning for the boy to come to him. Too soon, Edgar stood before his father, his knees trembling as he looked at the floor.

"Look at me." The boy's head came up slowly, and he looked into the stern blue eyes.

"You were playing with fire, yes?" Dad's voice was quiet and resigned.

"Yes, sir."

"You know better than to do this, don't you?"

"Yes, sir."

His father hooked the little kitchen step stool with his foot, pulling it in front of the table.

"You're going to get three. Get up there and bend over." Furiously blinking back tears, Edgar obeyed. Standing on the small stool made him just high enough to rest his stomach and elbows on the table. His arms were too short to grab the edges, so he just clasped his hands together under his chest. He was wearing only his thin pajama pants. _I wish I had jeans on..._

"Smack!" the strap landed firmly across the crest of his bottom, leaving a searing stripe of pain in its wake. Edgar jumped, gasping as his eyes widened at the burning sting. Barely remembering, he started to count back from 10 in his head. Allowing the first lick to settle in, his father waited a few moments before laying the second one across the middle of the small backside.

"Smack!" The boy now closed his eyes tightly against the tears, bouncing slightly on his toes as the sting blossomed. Desperately, he kept counting. _Six, five, four...OWWW!_

"Smack!" The last swat landed just as firmly right below his bottom cheeks. Tears were rolling down Edgar's cheeks, despite his best efforts to hold them back. His little bottom was ON FIRE. Breathing hard, he squirmed and shifted his feet constantly on the little stool. So focused on the furious sting in his backside, the kid barely registered the fact that the spanking was now over.

Sverre moved to put the strap back in its place inside the pantry door, trying to ignore how much his heart was hurting. He knew from personal experience the stinging burn of that piece of leather. He could only hope that Edgar had learned a lesson.

"You can stand up now, Son." Sniffing hard, the little boy stepped down from the stool and stood with his eyes on the floor, rubbing his sore bottom with both hands.

"Let's not have this conversation again, young man." Sverre spoke gruffly as he quickly took his leave, disappearing into the garage. Realizing that he was alone, Edgar dissolved into tears. _I wish Pappa didn't leave so fast. I didn't even get to tell him 'I'm sorry'. _He turned and ran up the stairs to his room. Throwing himself on his bed, he burrowed under the blankets, seeking comfort.

* * *

Mrs. Hansen drove up their street, slowing down as she approached the house. The two boys were uncharacteristically quiet, as they had been throughout breakfast. She understood; she had been quiet, too. This was new territory for all of them. Parking the car in the driveway, she turned to look at her two older sons.

"If I hear that either of you have been bothering or teasing your brother about getting a spanking, that boy will be the next in line for Pappa's strap. Do you both understand me?" They nodded quickly, eyes wide.

"Mom," Sig spoke quietly. "We know exactly how he feels. We wouldn't tease him. Not about this."

Smiling at him lovingly, Mom stroked his cheek with her soft hand. "That's good, Son."

The house was quiet as they entered; Mom breathed a sigh of relief that the punishment seemed to be over. Sig and Norman stood hesitantly, looking up the staircase.

"Go on, boys. I will check on him. There are still the Saturday cartoons on...you will be able to catch the last of them." Breathing a sigh, Sig headed toward the living room, tugging his brother after him. Mom watched them go. _They soon will be declaring themselves too old for Saturday cartoons. My babies are growing up. _She climbed the stairs, eager to see her littlest "baby" and make sure he was okay.

* * *

Edgar had heard the door slam as his mother and brothers arrived home. Having cried himself out, he lay on his stomach trying not to think about his throbbing back side. _I hope Mama will come up to see me. _His heart leaped as he heard footsteps ascending the stairs. The bedroom door opened to reveal his blond mother looking at him with worried eyes.

"Edgar?" she said softly, coming quietly into the room. Seeing the love and caring in her gaze, his face crumpled and he scrambled up and into her arms as she sat on the bed.

"Shhh, it's okay," she soothed. "It's all over now, _babyin min. _You have been punished, and I hope that your sore bottom will help you to remember to make the right choice the next time." Edgar nestled in her arms, finally finding the comfort that he had been longing for. There was something else, though. He wanted to be _forgiven._

He burrowed into his mother's soft neck. "I'm sorry, Mommy, for trying to start the f-fire."

"I know, Sweetheart, I know. It's alright. Mommy loves you _soooo _much." Cradling her youngest safely on her lap, Mom continued to murmur words of comfort and forgiveness. When the worst of the storm seemed to be over, she gently lifted his chin to look into the bright green eyes.

"Come, baby. We brought you some french toast and hot chocolate from the diner." Breaking into a grin, the little boy grabbed his mother in a tight hug.

"Thanks, Mama."

* * *

********Back to the present time on the **_**Northwestern**_***********

Sig blinked back tears as Edgar finished telling his story.

"I'm glad Mom went to comfort you. She did that with me a few times, when I was younger. But mostly, I was just left to get over it by myself." He fell silent, ruminating over everything Edgar had told him and the emotions it had brought up. Edgar peered over the side of the bunk.

"Sig?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm glad you changed the way we do it...you know, when I get punished."

Sig smiled. "Me, too...even though I never realized how hard it would be. Maybe that's why Dad does it the way he does...without really talking about anything. But, Norm said that Dad was different this last time, when he gave him the strap. I can only hope and pray that he'll be different with you, too...if he decides to give you a lickin'."

Edgar's face was thoughtful. He was still worried about facing his father, but not as much as before. A huge yawn nearly split his head in two.

"Well, I really hope he _doesn't_ give me one, but if he does...I hope he does it different, too." He turned onto his stomach, his arms and hands positioned under the pillow as he rested his cheek. Sig turned over on his side, pulling up the blankets and getting comfortable. Just as he was starting to drop off into sleep, the silence was broken by Edgar's soft voice.

"Sig?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

"I love you, too, Edgar...sleep tight."


	17. Unalaska

Chapter 17:

The next morning, Edgar watched with admiration as his big brother effortlessly eased the _Northwestern _into the slip. Sig made it look easy, guiding the boat up to the concrete dock. Edgar stayed well out of the way as Neil and Sig secured the lines...he knew that this wasn't something he could help with. Sig had given him many small jobs during the two weeks that they'd been on the water, and he'd learned a lot about the day-to-day things that kept a boat running smoothly. He shrugged on his backpack and shifted his feet nervously, waiting for Sig to be ready to head ashore.

_This is it. Now we'll go find a payphone, and Sig will call Dad. I'm kinda glad that I won't be able to hear what Dad has to say... about me and what I did. I can already guess how THAT part of the conversation will go. Dad's probably pissed beyond belief._..

His thoughts were cut off as his brother appeared in front of him. Sig was wearing jeans and a button down flannel shirt. His blond hair was wet and freshly combed.

"Hey, kid...you hungry?"

Edgar's stomach rumbled. "Yeah, I sure am. We didn't eat any breakfast." Sig smiled as he slung his arm over the thin shoulders.

"That's because we're going _out _for breakfast. There's a place called Amelia's...Dad took me there once. I talked to Andy and John; they're going to meet us there." Edgar smiled. _Anything to delay talking to Dad. _

"Sure, let's go."

* * *

The Hansen brothers walked into the warm, noisy restaurant and were immediately hailed.

"Sig! Over here!" The tall blond looked over to see all three of the Hillstrands sitting at a large table in the middle of the room. He raised his hand in reply, and started across the floor. Sig stopped when he realized his little brother was not next to him. Looking back, he saw Edgar standing hesitantly near the door. Retracing his steps, Sig stopped in front of the boy.

"What's the matter? You coming?" Edgar swallowed hard. Seeing Captain Hillstrand sitting there had reminded him of the fact that he had a confession to make...something he _really _didn't want to do.

"Um, yeah...I'm coming. I...didn't know the Captain was gonna be here." Sig looked quizzically at Edgar, then a look of understanding spread over his face.

"That's right. You've got something to talk to him about, don't you?" Edgar nodded slightly, his face a little pale. The _Time Bandit _captain could be pretty scary, and Edgar still remembered that swat the man had given him on the boat. Sure, he knew that nothing like that was going to happen here, but he had developed a healthy fear of John Hillstrand.

Sig smiled reassuringly. "It'll be okay, Edgar. He won't bite you. If he wants to be paid, I'll loan you the money and you can pay me back. C'mon...I'm starving." He pulled the young teen behind him to the table.

"Hey, you Norwegian fuck-Um, I mean...what's up, guys?" Johnathan stammered, swallowing the word he'd been about to say as his father glowered at him.

Sig grinned. "Hey, glad to see you guys made it in okay...you know, you didn't get lost or anything." His blue eyes twinkled as he sat down in an empty chair and pointed Edgar to the seat next to him. Edgar sat quickly, busying himself with the menu. He looked up with a brief smile when Johnathan ruffled his hair, but was glad when no conversation was directed his way. Unfortunately, his chair was directly across the table from the Captain, who was drinking coffee and watching him with a stern look on his face.

The waitress walked up to take their order, effectively drawing the older man's attention away from him. _Damn, it looks like he's still pissed at me. I wish I didn't have to confess what I did in front of everyone. I mean, Sig and John already know...and probably Andy, too. But it sucks that they're all gonna be watching and listening. I'll just put it off as long as I can, and concentrate on breakfast._

* * *

The table was covered with empty plates and crumpled napkins. The men stayed where they were, though, drinking coffee and swapping fishing stories. Edgar knew that they would be leaving soon, so he gathered up his courage and waited for a break in the conversation.

"Um, Captain Hillstrand?" he spoke timidly.

The man's attention focused on him, the rest of the table instantly quieting.

"Yes?"

Edgar could feel his face flush with embarrassment.

"Um, sir, I wanted to say 'thanks' for helping me get to my brother safely. I know it was a dangerous thing I did..and, well...thanks." The man nodded, his eyes narrowing at the reminder of Edgar's reckless actions. The boy took a deep breath and hurried on, before he completely lost his nerve.

"Um, when I was on your boat, sir...I went in the galley and took some food...when no one was looking." No longer able to look the captain in the eye, his gaze fell to his lap. Determined to make a clean breast of it, he soldiered on, "I had some...some steak and onions, and two packs of cookies and a soda. I'm sorry, sir...it was wrong of me to take it. If you want me to pay you for what it cost, my brother says he'll cover it and I can pay him back." Finally finished with getting the words out, Edgar stole a glance at the older man's face. His look was stern, but his eyes twinkled just a little.

"Well, son...thank you for being honest with me." His brows lowered then. "You best make for damn sure that it never happens again...you got me?"

Edgar gulped. "Yes, sir."

The big man smiled. "It's only a few bucks worth of food. I'd say we're square."

Edgar grinned in relief. "Thank you, sir." He felt his brother's arm come around his shoulder, and he heaved a deep sigh as he leaned into Sig's side.

"Good job," Sig spoke softly in his ear. "I'm proud of you." Squeezing lightly, he released the boy and pushed back his chair. "Well, we gotta be going. Got a few phone calls to make." Those at the table nodded knowingly...they knew exactly who he was going to be calling. Johnathan gave Edgar a sympathetic look.

"Sure, Sig. We'll see you around."

Sig threw a twenty on the table to cover their breakfast, and placing a hand on Edgar's back, steered him toward the door. Edgar's heartbeat began to speed up as they exited the restaurant and started walking up the street. The moment he had been dreading was upon him. It was time to call Dad.

* * *

The towering trees stood out sharply against the blue sky as they walked back toward the harbor. Edgar inhaled the fresh pine scent. Alaska was truly beautiful. Sig glanced over at him.

"Smells good, huh?"

"Yeah, and the sky is so clear. Not much pollution up here, I guess." The boy's voice was subdued. Sig knew that he was worried about the upcoming phone call. He put his arm around Edgar's back and squeezed gently.

"I'd let you go back to the boat and wait for me, but I've got a sneaking suspicion that he might want to talk to you. He'll get even more mad if you're not there."

"Okay." A quick glance down told Sig that the boy was fighting back tears. He steered them toward a bench, sitting down and drawing Edgar between his knees.

"Listen. It's gonna be okay. I'll talk to him first. I'm gonna tell him everything that's happened...the whole story. So he's going to know that you were already punished by me for putting yourself in danger. That's all I can do, Edgar. The rest will be up to Dad." He glanced toward the buildings behind them. "Hey, look...there's a phone booth. You just stay here. I'm gonna go get some change, and then I'll call. If you need to come to the phone, I'll tell you. Okay?" The boy nodded and settled himself on the wooden bench.

Sig grimaced slightly as the coins fell into the box and the ringing started. _Maybe I'll get lucky and Norman will answer. Nah, it's Friday morning...he'll be at school. Geez, I hope the Old Man is in a good mood._

"Hello?" The gruff voice of his father came on the line.

"Hello, sir...it's Sig."

"Sigurd. I've been expecting you to call any day now." His voice sharpened with anxiety. "Is everything okay? Edgar is with you? And safe?" Sig breathed a sigh of relief. _He doesn't sound mad. At least, not yet._

"Yes, sir, Edgar's here with me...and he's fine." Sig went on to explain the details of his little brother's actions, as well as his own actions in response. The line went quiet for a few moments after he finished his explanation, then his father spoke.

"You spanked your brother?"

Sig sighed. "Yes sir, I did. I thought he needed to understand the seriousness of what he did. I knew that it would be weeks before he would see you, and I'm sorry if you're upset with me, Sir...but I did what I thought needed to be done. I also made sure that the spanking was a good one, in case you're wondering."

He could hear a sigh on the other end of the line. "Well, Sig...I'll have to say that I agree with what you did. We both know that I would've done the same, if I was on that boat. Although..." his voice was rueful. "I'm sure that Edgar would never have pulled all this to get to the boat if he knew _I_ was on it." There was another pause, then Sverre went on softly.

"...The boy loves you, Sig. I know he respects and admires you. Thank you for keeping him safe, when I couldn't be there to do it." He cleared his throat, his voice regaining its original gruffness. "Now, I'm not promising anything about any further consequences your brother might receive once he's home. I'll need to do some thinking about that. Is he there?"

"Yes, sir," Sig answered, looking over toward the bench where Edgar was watching him anxiously. He lifted his hand, motioning the boy to come. Edgar's face fell as he stood and slowly made his way to his brother's side. Sig held his hand over the mouthpiece for a minute.

"Is he mad?" Edgar whispered.

"A little. You knew he'd be mad. Keep in mind, he's had two weeks to cool off a little." Sig then cut off the conversation by putting the receiver into his brother's hand.

Edgar gingerly put the phone to his ear. "Dad?"

"Well, young man...what do you have to say for yourself?"

Swallowing hard, the boy had to force the words past his dry throat. "Um, I'm sorry, sir."

Sverre waited, the silence lengthening on the buzzing phone line. When it became apparent that no other words were forthcoming, he exploded.

"Yes, I get that you're sorry. DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW DANGEROUS THIS STUNT WAS?! Christ Almighty...you could've died! What were you thinking? Just because you want to be with your brother...you lie to me and RISK YOUR LIFE?" Edgar closed his eyes, tears trickling down his cheeks.

"I—I'm sorry, Pappa! I kn—know it was a dumb thing to do!" he wailed. Hearing the tears in his son's voice, Sverre forced himself to calm down. He took a couple of deep breaths before continuing.

"You bet your ass it was a dumb thing to do. You've already missed weeks of school. We'll definitely be talking more about this when you get home, but I need to talk to your brother now." The Old Man's voice was tired. Edgar forced himself not to ask if his father was going to punish him...even though he was dying to know. _That plane ride home is going to suck, not knowing what he's gonna do to me. C'mon, Edgar...suck it up. Don't be a wimp...if he punishes you more, it's because you earned it._

"Yes, sir. Here's Sig." He handed the phone to his brother, surreptitiously wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. Sig handled the rest of the conversation. It was arranged that Sverre would call the airline and arrange Edgar's flight back home, and Sig would call his father back in the afternoon to finalize things. He finally hung up the phone.

"C'mon, Kid. Let me show you the town of Unalaska. It's little, but kind of cool in its own way." Turning to start walking down the quiet street, Sig felt small arms go around his waist from behind. Edgar laid his cheek on his brother's back.

"I love you, Sig. Thanks for always taking care of me." Sig turned, grabbing this little brother whom he loved so much in a tight hug.

"I love you, too...soooo much. We'll go and take our minds off everything for a few hours, okay?

"Okay."


	18. Back To Reality

**A/N: Just wanted to apologize for the long wait...I'm doing an online Bachelor's program and it's taking me a while to learn how to juggle something new into my already busy life! Hope you enjoy this chapter :)**

Sig and Edgar wandered through the quiet streets of the small town, neither one saying much as they just enjoyed each other's company. The reality of the coming parting was looming closer and closer in Edgar's mind, and he found himself fighting tears as he walked along next to his brother. Wondering why the boy was so quiet, Sig glanced down at just the right time to catch Edgar surreptitiously knuckling a tear from the corner of his eye.

"You okay, Bud?" The older brother's voice was laced with concern as he placed a hand on Edgar's arm, effectively stopping their progress down the sidewalk.

Edgar sighed, blinking rapidly in an attempt to dispel the tears. "I just don't want to—to have to leave. I want to be with _you. _That's why I did this whole crazy thing in the first place...so we could still be together." He raised pleading, shiny green eyes to meet Sig's concerned gaze. "Please, Sig, can't I just stay with you on the boat? Couldn't we make it work?" The desperate plea hung in the air as Sig took his turn to sigh.

"Edgar, please don't ask that. You already know what the answer is going to be. There's no way that Dad would allow it, besides..." Sig gentled his voice and spoke softly, "... I need to be able to concentrate on this first trip without having to worry that you're safe."

_There, I said it. It's not that I don't want him, but it would really make it a million times more stressful for me if he was there. _

Sig put his strong arm around his brother and squeezed tightly as he continued talking, this time with a firm voice. "I'm gonna do my job and you've gotta do yours...you remember what that is?" Edgar rolled his eyes and stepped back, removing himself from Sig's embrace.

"Yeah, yeah...go to school and work hard and graduate so I can come on the boat with you _then_. Blah, blah, blah." Edgars' green eyes snapped and his face was flushed with frustration. Surprised at the tone of his little brother's voice, Sig's eyes narrowed.

"You want to try that answer again?" Hearing the sternness in the deep voice, Edgar didn't answer flippantly like he wanted to. Instead, he said nothing.

Sig crossed his arms over his broad chest. "Do we need to head back to the boat so you can sit by yourself in the cabin and get over your snit? I wanted to spend time with you today, but this attitude ain't gonna fly."

Angry tears flowing down his face, Edgar turned away and leaned against a tree, burying his head in his folded arms. He breathed deeply as he tried to get his runaway emotions under control. _This is your last day with Sig...don't blow it and make him have to send you to your "room" on the boat._

"No! I—I 'm sorry. Please, we don't need to go back to the boat." The words were muffled against the sleeve of his sweatshirt. Sig's eyes softened as he patted his brother's quivering back, feeling the strong emotions coursing through him.

"Listen, Edgar. I know how you're feeling. Believe me, I'm gonna miss you so much...I don't even want to think about it. But you've got to just accept that this is the way things are, and make the best of it. I don't want to spend the rest of the day with you crying and begging me to let you stay. I want you to show me, _by your actions_, that you're growing up and can handle disappointments. Can you do that? For me?"

Edgar could hear the sincerity in Sig's voice, and his anger drained away as he turned and buried his face in his brother's chest. Sig just held the boy tightly, letting him cry. There was no one around; even if there had been, it was doubtful that either brother would have noticed.

Taking a deep, shuddery breath, Edgar leaned back to look his brother in the eye as he spoke.

"I'm s—sorry, Sig. I know this is how it's gonna have to be. I won't ask you anymore, I promise. I want you to be...proud of me..." His voice trailed off as he looked at the ground.

Sig lifted the small chin gently in his large, calloused hand. "I _am _proud of you. Remember how you were brave and talked to the Coast Guard officer on the radio? And talked to Dad? And Captain Hillstrand? All of those things show maturity and that you're accepting responsibility for your actions. I couldn't be more proud, okay?" Edgar nodded, wiping his nose with the back of his hand.

Sig put his arm around the boy and started them walking down the sidewalk again.

"Let's head toward the docks. There's a phone booth there, and I'll need to call Dad back in about 30 minutes. You've got to make sure you have all your stuff together for your flight." Edgar's heart sank at the mention of his flight home, but remembering his promise, he forced a smile.

"Okay."

* * *

"Alaska Airlines flight 3287 to Anchorage, now boarding..." The voice on the loudspeaker startled the brothers as they sat in the hard plastic chairs at the Unalaska airport. Edgar bravely blinked back the tears as he and Sig looked at each other in silence. The older brother traced his finger down the smooth cheek.

"Time to go. You ready?" Edgar nodded, not trusting his voice to speak. "Ok, let's get you on your way home." Sig shouldered the boy's small backpack and put his arm around the thin shoulders as they walked toward the boarding gate.

"Well, I'll say one thing for you, little brother...you sure do travel light!" Sig grinned and ruffled Edgar's cropped brown hair. Arriving at the gate, Sig politely greeted the airline employee and then ushered his little brother to a quiet corner. Placing both hands on the boy's shoulders, he spoke softly.

"Now, remember, you're sitting up in the front because you're an unaccompanied minor. The flight attendants will help you find your connecting flight when you get to Anchorage. The weather looks good, so there's nothing to worry about. Any questions?" Edgar shook his head. He buried his face in Sig's chest, his words muffled against the grey Seattle Seahawks sweatshirt.

"I love you, Sig. Please, be careful fishing. I'll-I'll see you at Christmas."

Sig wrapped his strong arms around his brother. "I love you, too...SOOOO much. I promise I'll be careful." He moved Edgar slightly back and met his gaze. "Keep making me proud, ok?"

Edgar smiled through his tears. "Yes, sir!"

Sig smiled back at the tender reminder of all that the two of them had been through together. He reached around and landed a soft "love tap" on his brother's jean-covered backside.

"I'll see you at Christmas. C'mon, you'd better get on board."

* * *

_Back home...in Seattle..._

Norman came in through the back door with a bang, glad to have a day off from work today. _Man, this working and going to school at the same time can really suck. I wish it was still summer. _He plunked his school books and binder down on the table. Thoughts of the previous summer filling his mind as he opened the fridge, the middle Hansen smiled to himself, then frowned. Those two months had been filled with enough momentous events to last a lifetime...some of which he remembered with fondness, and others that he'd frankly like to forget.

_Getting closer to my brothers, fun times at the lake, taking Edgar to the hardware store...good times. But the Shack and my appendix? Not fond memories. _Norman fixed himself a sandwich and poured a glass of root beer over ice. The Mustang was not in the garage, so he knew his father was out somewhere, again. Sverre had taken to driving Daisy around in the pretty black car, running errands and enjoying the retired life. _Ha, ha. "Driving Miss Daisy", that's what he's doing..._Norman grinned to himself.

The low hum of the Mustang's powerful engine sounded in the driveway, catching his attention. Dad was back. Norman carried his dishes to the sink and set about washing them and setting them in the draining rack. He wondered if Sig had called today. Although his dad hadn't said much, Norman could tell by the worried crease in the man's forehead that he wasn't going to relax his anxieties about Edgar's safety until he actually heard from Sig.

Sverre entered the kitchen, shrugging off his thick jacket as Daisy went straight to her water bowl and started lapping noisily.

"Silly dog, you'd think we'd been gone forever," chuckled the Old Man. Norman smiled, too. His dad had sure become attached to the newest member of the family. Once, during one of his counseling sessions, Norman had mentioned the seemingly "instant" bond which his father had developed with the dog. The counselor had explained how sometimes, having an animal to love could be very helpful in dealing with loss. Norman had actually never thought of it this way before, but it made sense. He smiled again as he watched Sverre affectionately scratch the dog's head.

"Did you guys have a nice drive?" Norman asked as he pulled a kitchen chair out with his foot and sat down at the table to begin his homework. During the past three weeks, he and his dad had fallen into a routine of sitting at the kitchen table and talking; sometimes three or four times a week. It wasn't ever planned, but Norman found that he was enjoying having his father's undivided attention.

Sverre kept scratching the canine's silky head. "Yep. This dog sure loves riding in the car."

"Any word from Sig?" This question was asked every day. Sverre grunted as he moved to sit down across from his son.

"As a matter of fact, yes." Sverre smiled slightly as he watched Norman's head shoot up. "Your brother called this morning...the boat just docked in Dutch today. Edgar is with him, and seems to be fine. I've arranged a flight...he'll be here in the morning." Norman was silent, digesting this news.

Sverre went on quietly, "His flight will get in at 8:20 tomorrow morning. I've got to take Daisy to the vet for her checkup, so I'll need you to pick him up at the airport. You don't work tomorrow until the afternoon, right?"

"Yeah, I go in at one o'clock." It felt strange to know that Edgar would be home tomorrow. All the worrying and anxiety of the past three weeks was still very fresh in Norman's mind, and he felt his feelings toward his younger brother pulling in two directions: on one hand, he was frustrated and even angry that Edgar had done such a dangerous thing; but on the other hand, he loved his brother and would be very happy to see him alive and well. Norman also found himself both worried and relieved that he would be working and out of the house tomorrow afternoon. Sverre hadn't mentioned anything about what Edgar's consequences were going to be; and the middle Hansen brother didn't want to annoy his father by asking him and possibly ruining the tenuous truce between them.

_Edgar is most likely in for a licking. If I know Dad, that's what'll happen. At least I'll be at the hardware store; they can work it all out while I'm gone and things can finally get back to normal around here. Well, at least as normal as they can be with Sig gone. _

Norman missed his "best friend" so much at times, it was almost frightening. He knew that things weren't ever going to be the same. _Sig will be going back and forth to Alaska with the fishing seasons, and I'll be heading to college. Speaking of college, I'd better get going on this homework if I expect any college to take a second look at me. _

"Sure, Dad...I'll pick him up. Just leave me the flight information."

**A/N: I realize that the movie, "Driving Miss Daisy"was not actually released until a few years after the time frame of this story, but I couldn't resist! Hope you don't mind my taking an author's license in this case :)**


	19. Seattle Arrival

Chapter 19:

"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen." Edgar woke with a start at the voice coming from the loudspeaker. Disoriented, he looked around wide-eyed at the rows of occupied seats as the deep voice continued. "We are on final approach to Seattle-Tacoma. I am turning on the seat belt sign. Thank you for flying Alaska Airlines...have a great day." He sighed and stretched, pulling against the seat belt which he had left securely fastened for the entire flight. Edgar had found that he really didn't like flying. This was only the second time he'd ever been in an airplane, and the first time didn't really count because he'd only been three years old when the family had flown to New Mexico to visit relatives. Last night they had hit some bad weather, and there had been quite a bit of turbulence over the ocean. He'd thrown up once (which had been embarrassing), and his stomach still felt a bit queasy.

_It doesn't help that I can't stop thinking about what Dad's gonna do to me. He didn't say on the phone, and he didn't even tell Sig. I'm glad that the waiting is almost over...it's killing me. _He grasped both armrests tightly, butterflies dancing in his stomach as the plane began its descent into Seattle-Tacoma airport. Trying to take his mind off the impending landing, Edgar focused his thoughts on what was to come. _I wonder if it will be Dad or Norm who's there to pick me up. I kinda hope its Norman. I really missed him. _He smiled as he thought of his tough middle big brother, then his mouth turned down. _Shit, I hope Norm's not mad at me too... for taking off. He was probably just as worried as Dad...and pissed because I lied about school and Matt's house. _The young teen was abruptly drawn out of his thoughts by the bump of the plane touching down on the runway. He gritted his teeth and breathed deeply, bracing his feet against the floor as the pilot put on the brakes and the plane began to slow.

Once the seat belt sign had flashed off, the curly-haired, brown-eyed flight attendant who had been keeping an eye on him came down the aisle. He couldn't remember her name, so he glanced surreptitiously at the name tag pinned to her trim navy uniform...Karen.

"You okay, Hon?" Her kind smile lit up her face.

"Yeah, thanks." Edgar smiled back, then abruptly lifted his hand to cover his mouth as a monstrous yawn almost split his head in two. Karen gave him a sympathetic look.

"I know, it's hard to sleep on one of these, huh?"

Feeling his face redden, Edgar only nodded.

"You just sit tight. I'll let you know when it's okay to deplane, ok?" He nodded again as she continued into the small galley at the front of the plane.

* * *

Norman stood in the crowd at the foot of the escalator, straining for a glimpse of his little brother. He had woken this morning with a sense of excited anticipation, having missed Edgar more than he'd expected to. The irritation about the kid's reckless actions had faded somewhat; he just wanted to see his Lil' Bror alive and well. _Well, I'm not sure if he'll still be "well" after Dad gets through with him. Probably going to end up with a sore backside. It kinda pains me to admit this, but he really deserves it. Shit, if either Sig or I had done something like this at his age, both our asses would've been grass, for sure. _

Norman spied a cropped brown head with a pair of bright green eyes among the sea of people swarming down the stairs and escalator from the upper floor. Edgar wore faded jeans and a brown hoodie sweatshirt which Norman immediately recognized as belonging to Sig. He watched as his little brother stepped onto the escalator with his eyes down; it was clear that Edgar was reluctant to face their father, whom he obviously expected would be there to meet him. _Can't blame him, there._

In a rare moment of empathy for his brother, Norman did not call out as he normally would have. Instead, he waited quietly as the crowd thinned...and finally Edgar raised his eyes to look for the person who'd come to pick him up. Pasting a big smile on his face, Norman walked forward with his arms open wide. He watched the surprise flit across his brother's face, followed by a look of profound relief, then excitement.

"Norman!" Weaving through the remaining people at a dead run, Edgar went straight into his brother's muscular arms. Blinking feverishly to dispel the sudden moisture in his eyes, Norman clasped the boy in a huge bear hug, lifting him so that his feet dangled.

"Ohhh, I missed you, Kid," he breathed. He held Edgar out at arm's length, meeting the bright green eyes with his own blue ones. "You okay?"

Edgar smiled his signature "Hansen" movie star grin. "Yeah, I'm good, Norm." He glanced about furtively. "Umm, is Dad with you?"

Norman clapped him on the back, pulling him into a sideways hug as he began walking down the concourse toward the exit. "Nah, he had to take Daisy to the vet. So you're stuck with me. Is this backpack all you have with you?" Breathing a huge sigh of relief, Edgar suddenly found himself ravenously hungry.

"Yeah, I really didn't bring that much. Hey, Norman? You think we could go get some breakfast at the diner? I mean, before we go home?" _Before I face Dad? _

Smiling broadly, the older brother nodded as he led the way to the silver Ford F150. "You bet, Kid. I'm starving. Let's go."

* * *

The brothers sat together for over an hour in a small booth at the diner, Norman listening incredulously to the tale of Edgar's adventure at sea. They'd just gotten to the part of the story where Edgar had made it onto the _Northwestern, _and Norman asked the question that had plagued him ever since he'd heard that Edgar had, in fact, been reunited with Sig.

"What was Sig's reaction once you got on board?" He lowered his voice in the busy restaurant. "Did he punish you?" After watching Sig in action this past summer, Norman frankly doubted that his big brother would've let the boy's recklessness slide without some kind of consequences. Edgar's face reddened a little, wordlessly providing a clue to the answer.

"Well, he didn't that first night. He made me hot chocolate, and then he just held me when I broke down and cried like a baby. Then, I went to sleep." Norman waited expectantly.

"And the next morning...?"

"We talked, and he explained how dangerous it was, what I'd done. You know how Sig feels about me putting myself in danger." Edgar's eyes were wide as he remembered this part of the story. "Then he spanked me...and it was probably one of the worst ones I ever got from him."

Norman cocked his head to one side. "Worse than the paddle? I know firsthand how much that sucker can sting." Edgar nodded in agreement with his brother's statement...remembering the lingering burn that the paddle had left on his own backside. "Well, first he spanked me with his hand...which is pretty bad, just by itself. Sig's hands are big and hard, and I was only wearing my boxers." Pausing for a moment, the boy went on, "You remember that old hairbrush that Dad's always had on the boat? The wooden one?"

The significance of this question immediately registered with Norman. "He spanked you with that? Yowch... that must've been a scorcher."

Edgar grinned sheepishly. "You have no idea, Norm. I couldn't help it...when he gave me the last four swats on the bare... I jumped up squealing and rubbing my butt. Never did that before, but the sting was _incredible." _His face now bright red, Edgar realized belatedly that he hadn't meant to share that bit of information. "Uh, Norm...you won't tell anyone, will you? It's kind of embarrassing...I acted like a little kid, doing that." _And I didn't want you to know that Sig spanked me on the bare...that's private._

"Nah, Kid...you're secret is safe with me. What happened after?"

"He took my hands in his hands to stop me from rubbing, and told me that I needed to feel the sting to help me remember not to put myself in danger next time. Then he just hugged me for a long time while I cried, and told me I was forgiven. I think he cried a little bit, too." Edgar fell silent for a few moments before he went on.

"...and we talked, mostly him explaining _why _he'd had to be so tough on me. And he said that...probably Dad was still gonna punish me once I got home...even though he'd already given me a humdinger of a spanking himself." He stole a glance at Norman's sympathetic face. "You think he's right, Norm? We haven't talked about Dad...except that I'm _really _glad that you picked me up instead of him. Is he gonna give me a lickin'?"

Hearing the anxiety in his brother's voice, Norman's heart broke. _No matter how much I want to, I can't give him false hope. _"Edgar," he spoke softly. "You lied to Dad, snuck out, and almost got yourself killed. Dad has been so worried about you...worried because we didn't know where you were, or if you were safe, or even if you were _dead. _You've got to just prepare yourself to take whatever he gives you...and yeah, I think it's gonna be a lickin', plus you'll probably be grounded and who knows what else, on top of it all." He paused for a moment. "Does Dad know that Sig punished you?" _I guess that might make somewhat of a difference. _

"Yeah, Sig told him everything when he called him, that day we got into Dutch Harbor."

Norman sighed. "Then, I really don't know what he's gonna do. You'll find out soon enough, though. I'm sure that Dad's home from the vet with Daisy, and I've gotta get ready for work. You about done?"

Edgar sighed, too. "Yeah, I guess I'm as ready as I'll ever be."

Norman made a move to slide out of the booth, but stopped when he felt his little brother's hand on his arm. He looked up into serious green eyes.

"Norman, I—I'm sorry that I scared you...taking off like I did without telling anyone. It was really, really hard for me to let Sig go; and I just couldn't think of anything else but going to be with him. You said how _Dad _was so worried, but I know that you must've been, too. You're probably mad at me, too, huh?"

His mind reliving those harrowing days of waiting to hear if Edgar was okay, Norman had to swallow down his renewed irritation at this little brother who sat staring seriously at him. "Well, I was...once we heard from the Coast Guard that you were alive and with Sig. But I can see that you're sorry, and I think you're in enough trouble with Sig and Dad without me making you feel worse. It's cool, Edgar. You just better not do anything like this again...or I _will _be mad. You're the only Lil' Bror I got, you know. You need to keep yourself safe, ok?"

Edgar blinked back tears at the emotion he heard in his brother's voice. "Okay, Norm. I promise. I'm sorry..." his voice faded into a whimper as he scooted closer and put his head down on the muscular chest. Norman gathered the kid into his arms, his chin resting on the cropped brown head.

"Hey, it's okay. I forgive you." He looked around the busy restaurant, his face coloring a little at this emotional display that they were putting on. No one seemed to be looking, however, so he planted a quick kiss on the top of Edgar's head. "Come on, we need to pay this check and get you home."

* * *

The garage door stood open as they pulled into the driveway, and Edgar could feel his pulse speeding up at the sight of the racy black Mustang parked there. _I was hoping that maybe he wouldn't be home yet...so much for that. _Steeling himself, the young teen slowly climbed from the truck. Norman grabbed the backpack and slammed the driver's side door, effectively announcing their arrival. Edgar felt his brother's strong arm come around his shoulders in a quick hug as they walked up the steps onto the porch. The squeal of the screen door made him jump, and he slowly followed Norman into the house, his head down.

"Hey, Dad," Norman greeted as they entered the kitchen. Edgar kept his eyes down, not quite brave enough to meet his father's gaze.

Sverre sat at the table, the newspaper spread before him and a cup of coffee at his elbow. He breathed an unconscious sigh of relief at the welcome sight of his youngest, back safe and sound from his misguided adventure. He nodded briefly at his older son, acknowledging his greeting while never taking his eyes off Edgar. The silence lengthened, broken only by the low muttering of the baseball announcer coming from the small radio which sat on the kitchen counter. Edgar finally gathered up his courage and looked up, his face turning red as he looked straight into his father's stern eyes.

"Umm...Hi, Dad."

Sverre nodded sagely. "Son."

"Ummm..." Edgar tried to think of what to say. The unexpected sound of his father's chair scraping back across the floor caused him to take a few quick steps back. Norman stood leaning against the refrigerator, silently watching this exchange. _Man, I feel really bad for my brother right about now. _Sverre rose slowly, still feeling the morning stiffness in his old knees. His look softened as he observed Edgar's obvious fear.

"Edgar..." he walked slowly toward the boy. "_Du er ok_, Son?" Edgar blinked back tears of trepidation and remorse, wrapping his arms around himself.

"_Ja, Pappa_." He looked into Sverre's blue eyes. "_Jeg beklager_!"

The tired father heaved a great sigh. "_Ja_, I know. Come here." He spoke gruffly, holding his arms open. Edgar flew into them, holding on tightly and trying not to cry as the Old Man awkwardly patted his back.

"I'm glad you're home safe, boy. So glad. It was a very, very foolish thing that you did..." he held Edgar back from his chest to look him in the eye, "...and we will be having a long discussion about that, after your brother leaves for work in a little while. _Forsta_?

Edgar swallowed hard. "_Ja, Pappa_."

* * *

Translation: Du er ok: Are you ok

Jeg beklager: I'm sorry

Forsta: Understand

**A/N: Hello everyone...I'm back. Enjoy this next chapter; this story is winding down. Please, please, please review! I love to know what you think and even ideas for continuation of this story (As far as I have planned, there will be only one more chapter). Hope to hear from many of you! Take care.**


	20. Conclusions

**A/N:**

**As long-awaited, here is the final chapter. Thanks to all of you for sticking with me. I apologize for taking a year off from writing...but I can now say that I have my Bachelor's Degree :) Sadly, full-time school and full-time work doesn't leave ANY time for creative writing :( I have received a story request from a reader, and knew that I could not start a new one without this final chapter. Please review, and I remain open for requests.**

* * *

Edgar lay on his bed staring at the white plaster ceiling. Through his open window, he could hear birds singing, and Daisy barking at the roar of a lawnmower down the street. Norman was in the bathroom, whistling as he got ready for work. _Norm is leaving soon...then it'll be time for me and Dad to have our "talk". _Edgar still held out a faint hope that only "talking" would go on...but it was a very faint hope. His father's promise, spoken what seemed like a lifetime ago, still resonated in his teenage brain. _Dad doesn't ever go back on a promise...he's gonna light a fire on my ass._

As these unwelcome thoughts filled his mind, Edgar realized that if it happened, this punishment would be far different from any he had ever received from his father. He couldn't remember _ever_ being put over his father's knee, let alone with his rear end bare. He knew from Sig's spankings just how much a hand spanking could really hurt, especially without the protection of clothes. Being thirteen, Edgar felt himself turning red with embarrassment just thinking about it. A voice interrupted his turbulent thoughts.

"You ok, Kid?" Norman stood leaning against the door frame, his blue eyes shining with sympathy. He knew that as soon as he left, Edgar would have to face their father. As much Norman wanted to save his little brother from what was most likely to come, he really wanted the whole ordeal to be over and done.

Edgar rolled over to face his brother. "Yeah, I guess I'm ok...for now." His eyes widened in alarm. "You're gonna leave soon?" Norman's gaze softened at the fear he heard in the young voice.

"Yeah, Edgar...I gotta go in a few minutes."

Blinking back tears, the boy turned his face into the pillow. Norman crossed the room and sat on the bed, his hand gently touching the short brown hair. He took a deep breath..._time for some words of wisdom. _

"Listen Kid, as much as you're dreading what's gonna happen with Dad...once it does, it'll finally be done and over. You told him you were sorry while we were in the kitchen. When he comes in here, talk to him. Explain why you did what you did. I'm not saying it was a right thing to do, but I sort of understand why you did it. Help Dad to understand, too. Then...you take whatever consequences he's gonna hand out. That's all you can do. Ok?" Edgar turned and buried his face in Norman's stomach.

"I will, Norm," came the muffled reply. He pulled back to look at his brother, green eyes shiny with tears. "I'll be brave...like you." Norman's eyes crinkled as he grinned and ran his finger softly down the boy's smooth cheek.

"You'll live, Kid. If Sig and me made it this far, you will too. I'll see you tonight." Edgar listened as Norman pounded down the stairs. He could hear muffled voices for a few minutes, then the slam of the screen door followed by the roar of the truck's engine.

* * *

As his youngest lay upstairs on the bed worrying about what was to come, Sverre sat at the kitchen table. The baseball game droned on in the background, but his thoughts were far from it. Norman had made a simple statement before leaving for work, and the words continued to roll around in the Old Man's brain for several long minutes after his middle son had driven off down the street.

"_Let him talk to you, Dad." _One of the ways in which Sverre had always been able to get through the ordeal of meting out punishment to his sons was to keep the talking to a minimum. The years of intermittent long separation from his children while away fishing had fostered an emotional distance between them. Not to mention, The Old Man wasn't and never had been much of a "talker". There had never really been a doubt in his mind that he was indeed going to give Edgar a licking for his foolish actions, even after learning of Sig's discipline on the boat. Sverre himself had not forgotten the warning he had issued weeks ago to the boy...right in this very kitchen as a matter of fact. _Going off and doing what he did was so very dangerous...and...as much as I don't want to, I'm going to have to follow through on that promise. But, I will listen to him first...before I put him over my knee. I need to understand why he would do something like this. _Resolved on what needed to be done, the Old Man rose to his feet and exited the kitchen, switching off the radio on his way out the door.

Edgar heard the slow footsteps creaking on the stairs, and he quickly sat up on the edge of his bed. Heart pounding, he took a few deep breaths. Sverre appeared at the bedroom door, his stern blue eyes meeting Edgar's green ones.

"Time we had our talk, young man," he spoke gruffly.

"Yes, Sir," Edgar answered bravely, eyes on his father as he slid his hands under his backside. Sverre continued to stare at his son as he stood in the doorway, saying nothing. After a few moments, the boy could not continue to look the man in the eye, and his gaze dropped. Sverre entered the room, glancing around for the best place to sit. His eye fell on the desk chair, which he twirled around and pulled to the bed so that he could sit facing his son.

"Look at me." The stern words from his sire brought Edgar's eyes up immediately. Having gained his son's attention, Sverre continued. "I need to know why you would endanger yourself like you did...following after your brother." The silence lengthened as the boy tried to formulate a reply.

"Well? If you cannot talk to me, we might just as well move on to the consequences of your actions." His father's terse words galvanized Edgar into speaking.

"Umm, ok Dad...it's hard to explain, but I—I'll try." The teen was a bit shocked that his father was _allowing_ him to explain...this was a first. Edgar was willing to do anything to delay the consequences, if even for just a little while. He took a deep breath.

"Dad...I'm sorry for running away like I did. I know it worried you and Norman, and I know that there's lots of stuff that could've happened to me while I was on the boat...dangerous stuff. I guess..." Edgar fell silent for a moment, trying to find the words. "...I just got really close to Sig this summer. He was like a rock for me; he kept me safe and even gave me consequences when I messed up. When he left..." here Edgar's voice lowered and tears came to his eyes..."when he left, it sort of felt like I wasn't safe anymore." He glanced up at his father, his eyes begging him to understand.

"I mean...of course I felt safe with you, Pappa...but..."

"You felt safer with him." His father's words were quiet. Edgar swallowed hard. "Yes, Sir. And so I...followed him".

Sverre sighed. This talking before the consequences was foreign to him, and mentally exhausting. Nevertheless, it was helping him to understand the thought processes of his youngest, at the very least.

"Edgar, I could see how close you had become with your brothers while I was away on this last fishing trip. I-I understand why it was so hard for you to see Sig go. But..." and here he let his voice grow stern, "...I cannot condone you putting your life in danger, no matter what is going on in that head of yours. _Forsta?_ The teen nodded silently, a tear falling down his cheek. Sverre stood and replaced the chair at the desk. He walked to the bed where his young son sat sniffling.

"Stand up, son." Edgar obeyed, watching as his father sat in the spot he had vacated. Sverre took the boy's hands and pulled him to stand facing him. Feeling the trembling, he gently squeezed the small hands. "I promised you a bare-bottom spanking with my hand if you ever put yourself in danger again, yes?"

"Y-yes, Sir."

"Alright then, that's what we need to do. Go ahead and get your jeans down. I'll take care of the rest when you're over my knee."

As much as he was trying to be brave, Edgar bowed his head to hide the tears sliding down his cheeks as he undid the snap and zipper on his jeans. His face flamed as he slowly slid them to his knees. This was _hard_. Sverre slid back on the bed, providing ample space for the boy to lay across his knees while supported on the bed. Standing there, Edgar was grateful for the coverage of the oversized black AC/DC shirt (Sig's) that he wore. Sverre took his wrist and pulled him around to his right side.

"Go on, get yourself over my knee." The boy stood looking at the lap before him, but couldn't make himself move. Sverre sighed impatiently.

"_NOW_, young man. If I have to do it for you, your punishment will be worse. Is that what you want?" He gave a tug to the boy's wrist, and Edgar gathered up all his courage and leaned forward. He sniffed as his father pulled him over his lap, adjusting him so that his upper body and legs were supported by the mattress. As he felt his boxers tugged down to his knees, Edgar pressed his flaming cheek into the bedspread. He swore to himself that he would never give his father reason to do this again. Sverre's strong left arm circled the boy's waist, holding him firmly in this most embarrassing of positions. Edgar jumped a little as he felt the rough hand come to rest on his bare backside.

"Now, young man. You will learn to STOP putting yourself in dangerous situations. If it happens again, we will have a repeat of this. Understand me?"

"Y-y-yess, sir," Edgar whimpered, resolving to himself, _I'm gonna focus on what I did and why it was wrong. I'm gonna take it like a man. _He inhaled sharply as the first burning swat landed. This was so different from the way Sig did it. Sverre believed that punishment should be a sharp and painful reminder not to repeat wrongdoing, and the swats continued to rain down hard. Edgar was whimpering and squirming in no time, as much as he tried to stay still. There was no build-up...each swat was as hard as the ones before it, coming so quickly that he couldn't recover in between...and finally he couldn't keep quiet any longer.

"Owww! Pappa! Please!" The tears were pouring down as he instinctively tried to wiggle his bottom away from the fire, to no avail. The stern father did not reply to his pleas, and continued to plant hard swats to the boy's rapidly reddening bottom.

"Please, Daddy! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Edgar could now only focus on the intense burning pain in his rear end, and he finally stopped struggling against his father's hold. His steady sobs turned to squeals as Sverre ended the punishment with several hard swats to his bare thighs.

The Old Man found himself blinking back his own tears listening to his youngest cry. He hadn't been called "Daddy" in quite a long time, and Edgar's pleas had torn at his heart. The boy heaved with sobs, and it seemed the most natural thing in the world to offer comfort, to make it better.

"Shhh…it's done, son. All over now, you're alright..." He awkwardly rubbed Edgar's shaking back with his work-worn hand. This spanking had been so different from the previous ones he had delivered. Having the boy over his knee had made it so much more personal…he'd been very much aware of the teen's emotional state, and felt each sob and shudder. Sverre admitted to himself that his sons must've tried hard not to cry before…to look tough in front of him. Listening to one of his boys cry so hard, knowing that HE had caused the tears, was tearing him up inside. He pulled Edgar gently back to his feet. Face flaming, the teen hurriedly pulled up his clothing, then stood before his father with his arms wrapped around himself. Sverre beheld the flushed face and teary eyes, and without thought he opened his arms wide.

"Kommer hit, elsker." Edgar's eyes widened with surprise, then his face crumpled and he threw himself into his father's arms. The Old Man tightened his hold, cradling his youngest securely as the boy continued to hiccup and sniff. He stroked the short brown hair, slightly damp in the warm weather. When it seemed that the worst of the storm had passed, he spoke quietly.

"Now son, I didn't like having to do that. And I'd really prefer never doing it again. I'm sure you feel the same?" Edgar's head nodded against his father's chest. "I warned you about putting yourself in danger…and you ignored my warning. Now you've gotten _two_ hard spankings…from me and Sig both. Let's hope the memory serves to keep you from doing something stupid again, yes?"

"Yes, sir, Papa…I'm ss-sorry..." Sverre released the boy, catching his chin in one hand to meet his gaze.

"It's all over now. No more apologies." Edgar nodded with a hard sniff, his hands stealing back of their own accord to rub his bottom. Sverre noticed, but did not comment as he rose painfully to his feet and left the room.

* * *

Norman found that he could barely concentrate that afternoon at work. Edgar weighed heavily on his mind, and twice he nearly overcharged customers while totaling up their purchases. _C'mon, man...get your head on straight! _He was glad when the sun finally swung around to the west and it was quitting time.

Shrugging on his jacket, Norman called toward the back room.

"See ya, Mike. You can lock up?"

Mike's voice floated down the aisle. "Sure, Norm. See ya,"

Letting the door close behind him, Norman inhaled the fresh evening air. _I hope everything is all squared up between Dad and the Kid. It'll be good to finally get things back to normal around here. _He climbed into his truck and headed home.

* * *

Edgar had fallen asleep on his bed after his father had left the room. The long, anxious flight coupled with the emotional ordeal of the punishment he'd received had rendered him exhausted. The evening shadows were lengthening on the walls of his bedroom when he sleepily opened his eyes and looked around. Memories of the encounter with his father came flooding back, and he cautiously put a hand back to feel his behind. _Still a little sore, but not too bad. _Rubbing absently, the boy didn't even hear the door when it opened.

"How ya doin, Kid?" Norman's voice startled him. Looking up, Edgar blinked in the bright light coming from the hallway behind his brother. Norman walked into the room, thoughtfully closing the door behind him. The room was plunged back into shadows. Nudging his little brother over, Norman lay down on the bed, turned on his side so that they were face to face. Up close like this, he could see the dried tear tracks on Edgar's flushed cheeks.

"So, did you get a lickin' like you thought?" Edgar looked away for a second, then back.

"Yeah, he did what he promised he'd do if I put myself in danger again." Norman cocked his head to the side, puzzled. He didn't remember hearing about this.

"What did he promise you?" A thought occurred to him. "He didn't strap you, did he?" Sig had told Norman about the conversation with their father about finding another way to punish Edgar after his traumatic experiences this past summer.

"Naw, he...ummm...spanked me over his knee, with his hand...ummm..._bare_." This last word was spoken so softly that Norman almost missed it.

"Wow, that must've sucked." Sympathy for his little brother filling his heart, Norman lay his head on the pillow and reached for Edgar. The boy snuggled up to him, his head resting on Norman's broad chest.

"Yeah, it sucked. Hurt a lot. I cried like a baby." This last statement was spoken with disgust. Norman raised his head to look his brother in the eye.

"Hey, haven't we been saying all this time that it's okay to cry? I cried when Dad strapped me...it's not a big deal. It's a perfectly normal reaction to having your ass set on fire. Plus, I bet it felt good to let some things go, right?" Edgar was silent, mulling this over in his head.

"Yeah Norm, I guess it did. And you know what? Dad even gave me a hug and comforted me after...like Sig does. He never did that before. You think Sig talked to him about doing that?" Norman smiled as he snuggled the boy closer, remembering how Sverre had hugged _him_ after the punishment those weeks ago.

"Yeah, Edgar, I have a funny feeling that our oldest brother might have given Dad a few pointers on a different way to deal out punishments. Dad's really trying, it seems." He pulled back to meet the boy's gaze again.

"But, I think that you and me both better stick to the straight and narrow and not give Dad any more reason to practice his new skills...got it?" Edgar grinned sheepishly.

"Yeah, Norm...I got it."

* * *

Later that week, Edgar was sitting at the kitchen table working on the piles of school work that he needed to complete to make up for the time he had missed. Norman was at work, Sverre was out running errands, and Daisy law sprawled on the kitchen floor. He was startled by the shrill ringing of the phone, and almost dropped his pencil.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Little Bror." The familiar voice caused Edgar's eyes to immediately swim with tears.

"Hey, S-Sig," he sniffed as he dashed his hand across his cheeks. "Is everything alright? How come you're calling?" Phone calls from Alaska were few and far between, and usually reserved for problems and urgent matters.

"Hey, everything's fine. I just finished the week of First Mate school, and we're leaving early tomorrow morning." Standing at the pay phone as the sun set over Dutch Harbor, Sig sighed and asked the question he was dying to ask.

"How did it go with Dad?"

"Well, he gave me a lickin'...just like we both thought he would. He didn't use the strap, though. He put me over his knee...and spanked me bare with his hand till I was squalling like a baby. Man, Sig...he spanks really hard."

Sig winced with sympathy, even though his brother could not see him. "Yeah, I'll bet."

"But...he was different, too. He talked to me before, and let me try to explain. And then after...he hugged me." Sig smiled widely at this news. _Wow, I guess Dad was listening that day when we took that walk._

"Well, Lil' Bror, I'm glad you're back home safe and it's all over with. I can't talk long...still got a lot of stuff to do before we head out tomorrow. I just wanted to check on you before I go." Edgar smiled softly. _Even all the way in Alaska, he's still taking care of me._

"Be safe, Sig. I...I still need you. Take care of yourself." Sig could hear the emotion in the teen's voice.

"I will, Edgar. Remember that I love you...soooo much. I'll be back at Christmas. Keep on making me proud, ok?" Sig's voice cracked on this last sentence, betraying his own emotions. _Man, I love that kid._

Edgar smiled through his tears.

"I will."

Norwegian translation:

Forsta = understand

Kommer hit elsker = Come here love

*******************************THE END*********************************


End file.
